Imagine
by Saturday's Sun
Summary: Draco and Hermione get stranded in a deserted island due to a mischief managed by Dumbledore. Things happen between them, both good and bad. One of them has a cruel past and the other needs to make a decision. If one can't forget and forgive the past,
1. The Field Trip

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Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, except for Patricia Andale, Sarah Gellar, Hugh Satte, Gary Diggins, Margaret Maxwell, Alex McKay, Hank Jackson, Laura Simmons, Emily Hogget, Catherine Crosby and Jim Ward.

And I got this idea from a book by Jill Barnett. Wonderful author she is; what with authors like J K Rowling, Johanna Lindsey, Jill Barnett, Dorothy Garlock, Julie Garwood… my world is almost perfect! J (my reading world, that is) haha… anyway the title of the book is "Imagine" and I suggest that u guys read it. it's simply wonderful! =) 

"So how are things with Patricia?" Harry asked as he ran his long fingers through his jet-black hair.

"The usual." Ron shrugged his puny shoulders. Although he was taller than Harry, Harry was more well-built; that's probably one of the many reasons why he's at the top of the list for "Guys To Chase After".

"Do you mean the usual teasing, or the usual hugging and kissing and God knows what else?" Harry smiled, his emerald green eyes lighting up.

Ron laughed good-naturedly. "Yeah, those usual." 

The two seventh graders were lazing around in the Griffindor common room, while almost every other person was out in Hogsmeade. Their exams were over, and they had pretty good grades but their grades combined still couldn't beat one person.

"So… where's Patricia?" 

"Oh, with her friends. She needs her time too, you know." Harry smiled, upon hearing Ron's answer. Ron always seemed so understanding when the conversation was on his girlfriend. Ron met Patricia Andale starting this year and there's not much else to say except that she's the apple of his eye.

Just then, Hermione came in and smiled at the two boys. Ron smiled when he saw Hermione and then shook his red head. Harry suddenly looked so self-conscious and started flattening his jet-black hair while smiling nervously at Hermione. 

"What are _you_ shaking your head for?" Hermione questioned Ron.

"Nothing; just that I'm surprised that I can still see your face behind that mountain of books." He chuckled.

Hermione laughed heartily. "Yeah, I went to the library again." 

"Sheesh, Hermione. The exams are OVER; why can't you relax for awhile or so?"

"Yeah, I agree." Her head was already buried in one of the thick, massive books that looked as if it was left on the shelf for years, just sitting there collecting dust.

"If you agree, then…" Ron looked absolutely puzzled. 

Her head came up momentarily. "I don't want to be last in class." Then she flipped the pages with delicate fingers.

Ron sighed inwardly. He didn't want to argue with her anymore. He had done that for the past six years and the answers or results were almost always the same.

Hermione's head suddenly shot up. She cast her chocolate brown eyes on Harry, who seemed to be constantly looking out the window these few days. Maybe he has love problems, Hermione thought. 

"Harry? Why are you so quiet?" She asked, as she gently placed the tip of her fingers on his arm, at the same time wondering if she was breaking his train of thoughts.

Harry's eyes seemed to be fixated on her fingers and seemed to take forever to notice that she had asked him a question. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, another voice spoke and Albus Dumbledore's, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, face appeared in the fireplace.

"Morning, everyone. I have an important and urgent matter to discuss with all of the seventh graders. Seventh graders, please come to the Great Hall now; I'm sorry if I have disrupted your activities." 

"What could be so urgent?" Harry muttered to himself.

"Is he mad? Everyone else is at Hogsmeade." Ron scratched his head.

Dumbledore wasn't mad; he knew exactly what he was doing. Every other seventh grader who was supposed to be somewhere else came back upon hearing Dumbledore's announcement over Hogsmeade. Most of them were grumbling away even when Dumbledore rose to speak. Even the teachers, especially Snape, the Potion Master, looked put off with the sudden announcement.

Even Dumbledore's good-natured smile couldn't change the grumbling. 

"Hello, everyone!" came a cheerful tone.

Hermione groaned inwardly. She respected the Headmaster too much to groan out loud, unlike the other students. 

"I have an important announcement." The Headmaster was suddenly solemn; he was so solemn that everyone kept silent.

After a long torturous moment, Dumbledore smiled once again. "Your examination results this year were simply superb! Fabulous, I must say!" 

A few looks of murder were passed around.

"Now, I have decided to let all seventh graders go on a… a… what's that word again, Julie?" The teacher for Muggle Studies, Professor Earnwood, whispered something and Dumbledore smiled, nodding fervently, like a child who had just learnt a new word.

"A field trip." He said, adding emphasis on each word, like it was the most important thing in the world. 

It wasn't; but that got the students rather excited. They began chattering among themselves like bluebirds in the summer.

"Hush, now, as Professor Earnwood will describe the… the… ah… _trip_ to you." Then he went back to his seat, muttering something about him being old already.

Professor Earnwood stood up and smiled nervously. She cleared her throat and began speaking in her rather tiny voice. Everyone leaned forward in their seats, straining to hear whatever she wanted to say.

"I- I know that not all of you take Muggle Studies, but the Headmaster has decided to make this field trip-" the Headmaster snapped his fingers. "- as normal as possible. We will be taking a cruise a week from now for two weeks. And if you don't know what that means, it simply means that we will be travelling on an ocean liner, which is also a big ship, that will be transporting us to the many fascinating islands in the South Seas in the Muggle World." The discussions among students grew louder and only subsided when Dumbledore gently placed a long finger on his lips. 

"The thing is, not all of you will be going. Only a few lucky ones will be selected; four from each house, to be specific. However, we gathered all of the seventh graders so that the rest of the students wouldn't wonder where their friends had gone." She laughed nervously. No one else could see the joke; a few had, however, smiled politely.

"Ah… I will now read out the names of the people that have been chosen by the teacher faculty." She fumbled for the opening of a bronze envelope in her hand.

"For the house of Ravenclaw… ah… the names are Patricia Andale, Sarah Gellar, Hugh Satte and Gary Diggins." There were groans and shouts of joy from the boys and girls respectively. Ron beamed at the fact that his girlfriend was chosen and turned around to smile broadly at her. Hermione's heart warmed at the sight.

"For Hufflepuff… the lucky people are… Margaret Maxwell, Alex McKay, Hank Jackson and… Laura Simmons."

"Slytherin… Emily Hogget, Catherine Crosby, Jim Ward and Draco Malfoy." Turning around, Harry shook his head in disgust as he saw the infamous Draco Malfoy spit into his goblet.

"Now, last but definitely not least… Gryffindor. Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Ronald Weasley and well, Harry Potter." Professor Earnwood smiled serenely after finishing the announcements. Hermione and Ron slapped each other high-fives.

"Do we get to choose our own partners?" Gary Diggins asked in a booming voice.

Dumbledore smiled a weird, sort of creepy, smile. "You can choose them now, but my advice is not to get too attached to your partners now. There might be a few changes now and then." Seeing that he no longer got their full attention, he clapped his hands. "Now, everyone, you may get back to your activities. I will allow you to have an extra day tomorrow at Hogsmeade for fairness."

Everyone rushed out of the Great Hall. In a matter of few minutes, the Great Hall was left empty, except for the teachers. Dumbledore put a Silencing Charm around the room.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Severus Snape asked doubtfully.

"Yes, yes. I think it is, Severus. Now, it is time for us to make our own list…"

The week flew by, as though it was a matter of seconds ticking. The sixteen students who were supposed to go on the trip went into a frenzy. It was about time to leave and board the Hogwarts train back to the Muggle world, only to be transported quickly to another Muggle vessel. To speak of the truth, not only the students were in a frenzy; practically the whole school was busy. The teachers with the necessary arrangements; the friends sharing their last jokes, giggles, or cries of joy; the people who had the 'more-than-friends' relationship saying their last good-byes, as though the other were to be torn from them forever; and lastly, the packing. Everyone seemed unsure of what to bring or what to pack into their bags. They seemed to want to bring anything and everything; everyone seemed so excited.

Then the time came. The students bid their final good-byes as they boarded the train with the Headmaster and the Professor Earnwood. Scenes of girls sniffing and dabbing the corner of their eyes and boys laughing and betting on who would come back alive were displayed before the very eyes of the witches and wizards at the train station that day.

"Wow. This day has passed so quickly." Hermione smiled and leaned forward the railing, trying to get a better view of the blue-green and ever-so-clear sea water below her and yet at the same time pulling her skirts in order not to get sprayed by the sea foams. The students had changed into Muggle clothes so as not to arouse anyone's suspicions. Even Dumbledore had changed into a most outrageous outfit. Bright yellow slacks and an equally brightly colored green buttoned up shirt to seemingly match it. he kept saying that he looked like a sherbet lemon and that the look was simply preposterous; yet he was unwilling to change out of it. 

Harry was sitting on his own lounge chair and looked as Hermione tucked one of the wilder strands of her hair back in place where it belonged: behind her tiny ears. How he longed to touch those tender earlobes gently, while telling her how much he loves her at the same time. He didn't know when he started realizing that but suddenly, one day, he just woke up and felt like she was the most important thing in the world, and his feelings had taken off from there. 

Maybe it was due to a previous nightmare. Harry shrugged his thoughts off. What he thought didn't matter, what matters now is how he was going to try to get through to Hermione, and finally confess to her about his true feelings; for he was frustrated as he couldn't get past the "I want to be more than friends" barrier. Every time he came to that sentence, he gets interrupted by someone or something. Most of the time, he gets interrupted by Ron. But he didn't blame Ron, for times like this, he even wondered himself whether he could even get the simple message through.

Hermione stood up and her shadow hovered above him. He looked up and saw her smiling with the set of now perfectly straight, and no longer bucked, teeth. He blushed and chided himself silently for not noticing her presence. Then watching as she stood and glanced around for an empty lounge chair, Harry immediately stood and offered her his chair. Hermione smiled a warm smile and said, "Nay, chivalry hasn't died, I see. But you shall sit."

Harry shook his head vigorously, as if his honor was at stake. After a few moments of arguing softly about whoever should take the seat, Hermione had her arms akimbo and pronounced that whether or not, they had to stand or sit together. Harry decided that they sit, for he didn't want to stand so close to her and smell her so feminine scent. He might get overwhelmed by it, as he usually does.

It was a wrong decision to make. A very wrong one, Harry corrected himself. Instead of standing very close to her, he was SITTING very close to her. 

__

Yeah, big difference, Harry. Harry thought.Hermione turned and showed mild surprise when she noticed that their faces were so close together. After all, they were such good friends that a little distance or space between them was almost nothing.

Hermione smiled once again when she saw the image produced in front of her. The sun was setting in a most beautiful way; it looked as if its wild and fiery flames were suddenly tamed down and it had suddenly turned into such a docile animal. At the horizon, where half the sun was already disappearing into the forever stretching sea, Hermione could already see a tinge of dark blue mixed with the slightest touch of dark purple, giving it a mysterious look. Suddenly, Hermione felt like reaching out and feel the beauty of everything.

She didn't, in the end. But Harry did. He kissed her.


	2. More Than Memory

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Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter. Not one; they all belong to J K Rowling, and I'm proud to say that. J 

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In the previous chapter…

Hermione smiled once again when she saw the image produced in front of her. The sun was setting in a most beautiful way; it looked as if its wild and fiery flames were suddenly tamed down and it had suddenly turned into such a docile animal. At the horizon, where half the sun was already disappearing into the forever stretching sea, Hermione could already see a tinge of dark blue mixed with the slightest touch of dark purple, giving it a mysterious look. Suddenly, Hermione felt like reaching out and feel the beauty of everything.

She didn't, in the end. But Harry did. He kissed her.

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More Than Memory

It was done so quickly, Hermione wasn't even sure that it happened. She turned and looked around and Harry. She didn't have to turn much; they were sitting so close together.

Harry's face was no match for the sun, but it could easily win a tomato. His red face was the only evidence Hermione could find and led her to believe that he had just did what he did.

For once, Hermione was speechless. She stood up abruptly and turned her back on Harry to walk away from this uncertainty lying before her. 

Harry gripped her arm before she could leave him and his life forever. "Hermione, please wait." He pleaded softly.

Hermione turned and the looks of confusion and fear came close to slashing Harry's heart into two with a dagger.

Harry looked around her and saw that the only place that was left alone by the people on the deck was a dark and secluded room that didn't seem to belong there on the deck. Harry didn't know where he got the courage or the strength to gently shove Hermione and push himself into that room. Hermione made no sound at all. Once inside the dark room, Harry cast a locking spell and silencing charm on the room. 

"Lumos," he whispered, so he could see Hermione's face. _She looks so tired and forlorn all of a sudden…_ Harry thought, and he wanted to slap himself right in front of her just to say that he was sorry and that he didn't mean it. Before he could say 'sorry', Hermione spoke first, in a quiet voice Harry never knew her to have.

"What's going on, Harry?"

"Nothing." Harry thought he had just told the biggest lie in his whole seven years spent in Hogwarts.

"Nothing?" Hermione's face was incredulous. "You just k-kissed me and it was nothing?"

Harry was dumbfounded, he seemed to have lost his voice. As he searched for it, Hermione continued.

"Or maybe it's nothing to you, huh? To you, it was just a kiss."

He found it; he found his blasted voice. "NO!" he exclaimed loudly, eyes wide. "It will never be just a kiss. It will be a… a… memory." Hermione looked puzzled by his choice of strange words.

"B-but-" Harry found more courage in him to continue speaking. "-I want us to be more than memory; I want us to be… more than friends." The last part of the sentence came out as a whisper, but Hermione heard every word of it.

"What?" she asked in a staggering breath. "You want me to be… what Patricia is to Ron?" Hermione asked softly, beginning to feel as if she was in a dream and she would have to wake up soon. God, she'll be glad when she does.

"Y-yes, Hermione. I never thought I would tell you this, but… I think I like you. I think I'm actually falling in love with you."

Hermione looked dazed for a moment. Then suddenly, she did the most unexpected thing; she pinched herself on the arm. Hard. It hurt. _It's true…_ Hermione thought with dread. Then she did the most logical thing that came to her mind, yet it wasn't the most logical thing to do in the world. She screamed, shouted "ALOHOMARA!" and fled, leaving Harry staring after her fading shadow.

Hermione stood in her room, unsure of what to do. She thought she must have looked like an idiot, standing there in the middle of the room and not doing anything at all. She conjured up a mirror and suddenly looked at her own reflection self-consciously. All she saw was a great bush of hair, though now not so bushy. It had turned a bit wavier during the years, but she still thought it was like a bush. Her eyes were a sickening brown. It wasn't warm like what Ron called them. She thought they looked horrible and pathetically common. 

Her nose… she didn't even want to go there. It was turned up and she thought it looked like a pig's. And she mentioned it so to Ron but got frustrated in the end when Ron asked her what in the world was a pig. Parvati Patil said it was cute though, her nose. Hermione was doubtful.

Her lips were thick, for heaven's sake. _It looks like a clown's,_ she thought desperately, looking for other signs that could possibly tell her why Harry liked her. She couldn't find any.

She sprawled down on her bed, face-down, sulking over the very fact that between friendship and love, she could never choose one. She actually felt guilty. Now that she knew what Harry really felt towards her, she then realized for a fact that she could never give him anything more than friendship. For now, at least. Or maybe, just maybe… she should just give him a chance, to see if it all works out; besides, feelings can be developed over time, right?

Just then, her partner, Lavender Brown came in and saw Hermione flat down on her tummy on the messed up sheets.

"What are you doing, Hermione? Trying harder to turn that nose down?" Lavender was forever teasing her nose, even though she thought it was lovely and looked pretty on Hermione's face.

Hermione's only reply was a snort. 

"What's wrong?" Lavender asked concernedly.

"Nothing," came Hermione's muffled voice.

"Nothing? Could've fooled me." Lavender said doubtfully.

Hermione kept quiet. She then turned around and sat up on her bed. She looked at Lavender and saw her friend's worried face.

She smiled and reassured Lavender that it was nothing. She just had a bit of sea-sickness.

Hermione felt the worst emotion of all: guilt. She felt guilty for not telling Lavender about what happened just now. After all, she always told Lavender what happened, whether good or bad. However, this time round, she didn't know why and couldn't explain either, but she just couldn't bring herself to tell Lavender about Harry. She just had a feeling that it wouldn't be right.

Lavender saw Hermione's smile and although she was still worried about her, she let it pass. After all, if Hermione felt like telling her the truth, she would, eventually, just not now. She didn't want to force anything out of Hermione anyway.

Just then, a most surprising thing happened. The door flew open and Hermione gasped at the shock of it suddenly flying open. She was also half-afraid that it would actually be Harry, demanding an answer from her.

Lavender was terrified, yet she kept her emotions in check. She walked slowly and tentatively towards the now open door. _Wasn't it locked? _Lavender thought.

She then took a good look around and turned around to Hermione, who was still on the bed, calming her heartbeat down.

"Strange… there's no one here…" Lavender muttered.

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief and got up from her bed. She needed to take a walk outside alone, just to clear her thoughts. And she told Lavender just that. Lavender smiled and said, "It's about time, too. You were sulking for too long a time." Hermione smiled and was glad that she had a friend like Lavender. 

"Thanks, Lavender, for-" she couldn't finish her sentence as she felt herself levitate. She looked down and saw her feet leaving the ground. Looking up again, she saw Lavender floating in mid-air as well. She quickly reached for her wand but couldn't quite find it. By the time she found it, she, together with Lavender, were floating down the corridor, along with the other Hogwarts students. Hermione quickly muttered a spell to counter-attack the levitating charm, but it was to no avail. She could see around her that people were trying to chant the same spell to put themselves down, yet no one could do it. Everyone remained floating, or rather, flying down the corridor. Lavender screamed suddenly, and then, everyone followed suit. Hermione didn't; she was too surprised to scream or make any sounds. She simply couldn't believe her rotten luck.

Indeed, it was a strange phenomenon, for every Hogwarts student was being levitated into the air and they were no longer restrained on the deck or, on a bigger scale, the ship. They were all floating… in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of the South Seas, to be specific. 


	3. Sniffy

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Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, only Sniffy, though I got the idea of a genie from the book, too. I personally don't think that this chapter is very good and I think it's quite short too. But I won't put myself down too low, too. I need and want your reviews! =) I wanna hear the opinions of u guys. After all, u guys are so cool… mature… sophisticated… wonderful… talented… all right… no more boot-licking. Haha… let's get on with the show!

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In the previous chapter…

"Thanks, Lavender, for-" she couldn't finish her sentence as she felt herself levitate. She looked down and saw her feet leaving the ground. Looking up again, she saw Lavender floating in mid-air as well. She quickly reached for her wand but couldn't quite find it. By the time she found it, she, together with Lavender, were floating down the corridor, along with the other Hogwarts students. Hermione quickly muttered a spell to counter-attack the levitating charm, but it was to no avail. She could see around her that people were trying to chant the same spell to put themselves down, yet no one could do it. Everyone remained floating, or rather, flying down the corridor. Lavender screamed suddenly, and then, everyone followed suit. Hermione didn't; she was too surprised to scream or make any sounds. She simply couldn't believe her rotten luck.

Indeed, it was a strange phenomenon, for every Hogwarts student was being levitated into the air and they were no longer restrained on the deck or, on a bigger scale, the ship. They were all floating… in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of the South Seas, to be specific.

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Mudbloods, Zipped Mouths and Genies

Dumbledore smiled as he saw how his plan had gone on perfectly, without any flaw. Yet… there was something he knew he had forgotten…

"Albus?" came a voice behind him. 

"Yes, Julie?" Dumbledore turned away and wiped his look of awe immediately.

"Shouldn't we do something about the rest of the people on the ship? The captain and the other people, to be specific?" Professor Earnwood was amazed at everything that was happening, especially how the Headmaster could forget such a "small" detail about the captain.

"Ah… yes…" Dumbledore winked, with a twinkle in his eye. "I knew I'd forgotten something…"

The next thing Hermione knew, she was sitting on a beach with nobody around. Nobody, that is, except…

"Where are we?" came a demanding and cold drawl. 

__

Welcoming and friendly as usual… Hermione couldn't help but snigger.

"What _are_ you sniggering about, you filthy Mudblood?" (A/N: that pretty much proves his identity, huh? =P)

"Nothing, just wishing for something impossible."

"And what, might that be?" Draco Malfoy asked, narrowing his gray eyes.

"Wishing that you would have a civil tongue." Draco Malfoy glared at her back and wished his very own wish: that he could bore a hole in her back with his searing glare.

He was about to tell her so when suddenly, she stood up and brushed the sand off her hands and buttocks. Then, Draco couldn't help but notice how firm her butt was under those shorts. He never noticed that when she was wearing her uniform; he never noticed much about girls, anyway. The last time he had… he shrugged the thought off. _What am I doing? What am I thinking about?_ Draco thought.

Just then, Hermione went out to the sea and picked up a bottle. The bottle looked ancient and as if it was as old as time. it was intricately carved silver and the ornate stopper caught flashes of bright light the morn shone onto the beach, which to the gulls that soared overhead, made the shimmering bottle look like a plum silver herring. It was a sad fact, Draco thought, that there were no precious gemstones on a bottle so old. A diamond would be giving it another sort of sensual and stunning richness, while a blood red ruby would have added a dash of character to the bottle. A sapphire or emerald would have done fine, if not better. 

Hermione unscrewed the cork carefully, afraid of breaking the corkscrew and not being able to open the bottle ever again. After much effort, it finally popped open… with an explosion of purple and yellow, if not gold, smoke. Hermione jumped back, still holding the bottle. There was no doubt that she was surprised that the bottle had exploded right in her face. 

"HELLO! And a very good morning to the BOTH of you!" a voice spoke, emphasizing the both, irritating both Hermione and Draco.

"What the-" Draco started as an image started forming before their eyes. The voice, the extraordinarily squeaky and scratchy at the same time voice… came from… a genie. 

"By God…" Hermione whispered, as she took in the profile and looks of the genie who was barely her height, even though she thought she was short for her age. The genie was easily half her size. He wore shoes that no one else will think of wearing. No one else… that is… except the elves working under Santa Claus. His shoes had bells that rang and chimed and made plenty of noise when he walked about, or rather strutted about, since Hermione noticed that the genie walked with an arrogant manner.

"Y-you can't possibly be a genie, can you?" Hermione stuttered.

"And why not?" there was no doubt about it; these particular genie was definitely arrogant and smug.

"Probably because they don't exist." Draco said coolly, when he noticed that the stupid Granger had nothing else to say, just standing there, gaping at the genie with her mouth wide open. Though Draco had to admit, her mouth was kind of sensual…

"I'm sorry if the stories you have been told do not include genies, but 'tis for a fact that they DO exist." The genie sniffed, as though he was hurt that people thought that genies never existed.

Draco raised his eyebrows in a most disbelieving way. The genie stared at him and carried on with his important duty.

"By order of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I hereby declare by the five thousand six hundred and twenty third law of the Associations of the Witches Council and the Wizards-" 

"Will you just get on with it?" Draco cut in.

The genie sniffed at the boy's rudeness and continued. 

"I will be your genie at your service and will therefore be able to grant this girl three wishes for finding the bottle. The boy will have none, I am terribly sorry to say." He didn't sound sorry and Draco swore that the genie would be sorry later on, when he had had his fill of beating the dumb tinkle bells up. 

"What do you mean I have no wishes?" Draco shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I mean that all my three wishes will be given to the girl over there, after she has registered her shock, though." The genie frowned as he looked at the girl, who seemed as disinterested in him as quickly as she had been keen in the very first place.

"I know that!" Draco snapped.

"Oh, really? Then WHY did you ask that preposterous question and demand an equally preposterous answer?" The genie retorted.

Draco was spitting mad. He was positively fuming and was about to hit the genie when Hermione yawned very loudly and broke the argument between the two of them by saying, "Will you two just shut up? And by god, genie, I simply do not care for three wishes. All I want is one wish. One wish to get back to Hogwarts and leave this place and you." 

"Well, well, what ungratefulness you have shown towards me and the kind intentions of your very own Headmaster. And that was VERY, VERY unladylike of you to yawn that loudly, if you ask me," he sniffed once again.

"But I didn't ask you," Hermione interjected. "Now will you grant my wish and stop sniffing. I have a good mind to call you Sniffy."

"You shall not!" 

"Yes, I shall, Sniffy. Now grant my wish."

Sniffy sniffed and turned his back on Hermione. "I can't grant your wish. It's against the rule and the six thousand eight hundred and fifty fourth law of the Witches Council and the-"

"All right, already. You can't grant it, simple as that." Draco smirked, seeing that the Mudblood didn't get her way. But he had to admit, she had spunk in her. She wasn't just good at studying and burying her head in borrowed library books.

"Stop smirking or I'll wish that your mouth would be zipped forever and I'm pretty sure that that wish will NOT be against the laws of whoever and whatever. Right, Sniffy?" 

That got both of Sniffy's and Draco's attentions. "Don't you dare…" Draco warned, half afraid and sure that she would indeed do it.

"'Twas your wish? 'Twas your very first wish?" The genie asked delightfully, rubbing his tiny hands together.

Hermione stole a glance at Draco and saw that even though he was trying to play it cool, she had the upper hand. The three wishes proved to be useful, after all.

"Well… all right." Draco looked devastated.

"But you'll have to say the magic words. 'Tis 'I, whatever your name is, wish…'"

"All right." Hermione tossed a threatening smile towards Draco Malfoy. "I, Hermione Granger, wish that-"

"Stop! Stop!" Draco raced over and covered her mouth with his hand. "Don't say a word." After a moment of hesitation, he added, "Please."

Hermione inhaled sharply and smelled a funny scent. She wasn't sure that it was the scent of a male. Ron and the other guys smelled the same to her. Draco smelled… well… differently. She looked up at Draco's eyes and saw specks of midnight blue among the grayness. She couldn't help but notice how nice his eyes were all of a sudden. 

Draco felt movement against his palm and thought he saw her smile turn into a frown. Her eyes narrowed and he was so afraid that she might still command that wish that he said another "Please". Just for good measure. 

And just for good measure, Hermione bit his hand. 


	4. Shed Tears, Wild Emotions, Shattered Liv...

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Disclaimer

I do not own any of these characters, except Sniffy, though I got the idea from the book. And in between the later chapters, I put in a song of Mandy Moore 's 'Cry', (I missed out one of her paragraphs towards the end) however I'm not really sure that it's suitable for the plot or content of these chapter. So… no suing? =) Nothing more to say… except enjoy this chapter and don't forget to READ AND REVIEW! Tell me if this chapter's too long or too short, kayz? =)

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In the previous chapter…

Hermione yawned very loudly and broke the argument between the two of them by saying, "Will you two just shut up? And by god, genie, I simply do not care for three wishes. All I want is one wish. One wish to get back to Hogwarts and leave this place and you." 

"Well, well, what ungratefulness you have shown towards me and the kind intentions of your very own Headmaster. And that was VERY, VERY unladylike of you to yawn that loudly, if you ask me." he sniffed once again.

"But I didn't ask you." Hermione interjected. "Now will you grant my wish and stop sniffing. I have a good mind to call you Sniffy."

"You shall not!" 

"Yes, I shall, Sniffy. Now grant my wish."

Sniffy sniffed and turned his back on Hermione. "I can't grant your wish. It's against the rule and the six thousand eight hundred and fifty fourth law of the Witches Council and the-"

"All right, already. You can't grant it, simple as that." Draco smirked, seeing that the Mudblood didn't get her way. But he had to admit, she had spunk in her. She wasn't just good at studying and burying her head in borrowed library books.

"Stop smirking or I'll wish that your mouth would be zipped forever and I'm pretty sure that that wish will NOT be against the laws of whoever and whatever. Right, Sniffy?" 

That got both of Sniffy's and Draco's attentions. "Don't you dare…" Draco warned, half afraid and sure that she would indeed do it.

"'Twas your wish? 'Twas your very first wish?" The genie asked delightfully, rubbing his tiny hands together.

Hermione stole a glance at Draco and saw that even though he was trying to play it cool, she had the upper hand. The three wishes proved to be useful, after all.

"Well… all right." Draco looked devastated.

"But you'll have to say the magic words. 'Tis 'I, whatever your name is, wish…'"

"All right." Hermione tossed a threatening smile towards Draco Malfoy. "I, Hermione Granger, wish that-"

"Stop! Stop!" Draco raced over and covered her mouth with his hand. "Don't say a word." After a moment of hesitation, he added, "Please."

Hermione inhaled sharply and smelled a funny scent. She wasn't sure that it was the scent of a male. Ron and the other guys smelled the same to her. Draco smelled… well… differently. Maybe it was because he was a cunning Slytherin and that he had Slytherin blood flowing in his veins. She looked up at Draco's eyes and saw specks of midnight blue among the grayness. She couldn't help but notice how nice his eyes were all of a sudden. 

Draco felt movement against his palm and thought he saw her smile turn into a frown. Her eyes narrowed and he was so afraid that she might still command that wish that he said another "Please". Just for good measure. 

And just for good measure, Hermione bit his hand. 

****

Shed Tears, Wild Emotions, Shattered Lives

Draco bellowed and swore loudly. He jumped back and saw Hermione give him a cat-in-the-cream sort of smile. He hated it. He always hated it when other people got the upper hand. 

"You bit me." 

"Darn right I did. If I didn't, I would have suffocated."

Draco took five deep breaths and took another five when he saw the genie smirking in delight. 

"You. Get inside." He commanded.

The genie cowered from the look in Draco's eyes. It was murderous.

"Inside the bottle?" his voice quivered.

"Yes!" Draco yelled.

"All right, all right…" the genie grumbled and quickly made his escape into the bottle before the guy killed him with his bare hands. 

Draco immediately turned his attention back to Hermione once the corkscrew of the bottle was replaced back on by Draco almost venomously. 

He stepped towards Hermione while Hermione retreated back slowly. With every step he took while advancing forward, Hermione took an equal number of steps retreating backwards. Yet she still held her dignity and pride forward by keeping her chin up as she glanced up and looked firmly into his eyes, as if telling him to back off. To her utmost surprise, the midnight blue flames seemed to dance and play around in Draco's eyes, indicating that trouble was arising.

She couldn't retreat further back. Her back hit a tree.

Draco placed both arms about her shoulders and Hermione cursed him silently for being taller than her by almost a head.

She glanced around for a place to run when he barked out that there was no place she could run to now.

Determined not to show her fears of his anger, Hermione countered, "Let me go." To her surprise once again, her voice had sounded firm and determined; it didn't sound like it belonged to a person in absolute fear of what was lying before her.

"No." His tone was hard and the answer he gave took whatever courage she had left in her away. Her lower lip couldn't help but quiver slightly.

Draco watched as her lower lip quiver slightly. It was a slight movement, but still noticeable to him, but maybe not to other people, for they were at such close proximity.

He had meant to strike her, but now seeing how afraid she was, he quickly banished the motion. He thought of his father and how he treated his own wife.

Draco let his hands fall back to his sides, turned his back on Hermione, and walked away, shoulders hunched.

Hermione's mind registered shock, something that she has been registering all the time that day. Draco Malfoy, letting her go? She was sure he was going to slap her right across her face. And she wasn't even sure whether it would be still her fault.

"Malfoy?" she called out gently, resisting the strongest urge that suddenly arose in her to call him by his name.

He stopped in his footsteps, but didn't turn around, nor did he say anything. All that was seen from his back by Hermione was just the tensed up shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry." She wanted to slap herself that very moment. Why in the world did she say that? All she had planned to do was to ask why he was so quiet and solemn all of a sudden. This was so not her.

Draco walked on, leaving Hermione to feel deserted and she wanted very much to bury herself in the sand. Her face flushed as he suddenly turned around. 

From a distance, he saw Hermione's face turn pink. He had good eyesight; her lower lip was still quivering. God, he bet she didn't know how appealing she looked to him right this instant, even if he was mad at her and mostly, himself.

Draco walked over to her stopped in front of her and used his knuckles to lift her chin to face him. Their faces were just inches away. "I really am," she whispered softly, as if the message was only meant for his ears, even though there were nobody around them.

Draco suddenly focused on her full, quivering lips and his male instinct drove him to kiss her. Right on the set of full lips. He meant it to be just a peck, but as his lips touched her soft ones, the peck turned out to be something else; it turned out to be more than a peck. 

Hermione was shocked but she found herself kissing back, with her hands entangled in his silvery blonde hair. She closed her eyes instinctively and pressed his head gently, as if wanting to prolong the kiss. She couldn't help it; he was just too good a kisser.

Their tongues met and many a times, Draco's tongue ran through the roof of her mouth, making her smile. His arms were around her waist and were clutching onto the small of her back. It was an almost protective gesture, coming from Draco. 

Draco wanted himself to stop, but every time he heard the soft whimpers of pleasure coming from the back of Hermione's throat, he couldn't help but continue. It was as though this was a different him. He felt like a new person and he felt… free.

Finally, they stopped; they just had to come out for air. Hermione's face was red as she suddenly thought of how close their bodies were and her lips were swollen from all the kissing. Draco's kiss had been hard, demanding, yet soft and tender all at the same time. Hermione loved it, though she would probably never admit it to anyone in her whole life.

Draco looked at Hermione's swollen lips and thought they looked fuller. He resisted every urge and desire to kiss her once again, to leave her, as well as him, breathless. He admitted to himself that he thoroughly enjoyed the kiss; she was just too good a kisser. Yet… he was so damn confused by it all; the irony of him now kissing his sworn enemy so passionately as if she were his lover. 

Not knowing what else to do, and now knowing why he did what he did before, he just walked away; walked away from her and walked towards a new kind of pain. Damn it all, as if he didn't have enough troubles and pain.

I'll always remember 

It was late afternoon 

It lasted forever

It ended so soon

You were all by yourself

Staring up at the dark gray sky

I was changed

Hermione sighed as she saw Draco walk away. _What's going on? It seems like nothing in my life is working out._ Hermione thought dejectedly.

__

In places no one will find 

All your feelings so deep inside

It was now that I realized 

That forever was in your eyes

The moment I saw you cry

First, Harry, then Draco. Two kisses that she couldn't handle. Yet, these two kisses were different. Harry's one was soft and no doubt passionate, but it didn't send shivers down her back like Draco's. She has never felt such a strange and fierce emotion before. Never in her life did she have to experience such things. And here she thought her life was going on smoothly, with her good grades and her great ambitions. And now, every thing is ruined. Simply everything. She couldn't take it anymore. She cried, with her whole body shaking. She suddenly wanted to get home to where her whole family was. She suddenly hated her own life and whatever that was happening to it. And just then, she found out that she didn't have her wand. She cried harder, with torrents of tears pouring down her cheeks.

It was late in September

And I've seen you before

You were always the cold one

But I was never that sure

You were all by yourself

Staring up at a dark gray sky

I was changed

Draco's ears were as sharp as he claimed them to be. He heard Hermione soft sobs, and as he glanced back and saw her body shaking, his assumptions and hearing were confirmed. He wanted to run to her and said he didn't mean to walk away like that. For once in his entire life, he wanted to say he was sorry and he didn't know why. She just looked so damn vulnerable sitting there and he wanted to kiss every trouble of hers away. 

__

In places no one will find 

All your feelings so deep inside

It was now that I realized

That forever was in your eyes

The moment I saw you cry

I wanted to hold you

I wanted to make it go away

I wanted to know you

I wanted to make your everything all right…

That was what he thought before he realized that he had his own sort of new trouble: he didn't have his wand with him. 

__

I'll always remember…

It was late afternoon…

In places no one will find…

Baby cry

The moment I saw you cry

I think I saw you cry

The moment I saw you cry

Fade out

I wanted to know you

I wanted to know you

I wanted to know you

__


	5. Paradise In Hell

****

Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, except Sniffy, although I got the idea of a genie from the book. The scenes I wrote later on were mostly from the book itself. So.. no suing and more reviewing!

****

Paradise In Hell

This was hell, as she bent down to pick up a piece of driftwood on the wet sand. It had just rained and all Hermione could feel was wet sand, wet sand, and more wet sand. 

As if that wasn't bad enough, Sniffy, the stupid, useless genie, made it clear that she was not supposed to wish for any huts or food. Everything was supposed to be as Muggle-like as possible. In Hermione's opinion, the genie was just for show. Fortunate for him, he went back to his bottle as soon as he saw the look on Hermione's face. 

And right now, she has to resort to make her own hut. She definitely did NOT want to spend the rest of the two weeks sleeping on sand, or rather, wet sand. 

Plus, earlier that morning, she and Draco had a serious disagreement over where to set up both their tents, which led to another war between them.

****

Flashback

Hermione persisted.

Draco refused to compromise.

For the last hour, he had had contrary opinions about whatever Hermione said. He wouldn't listen to her suggestions and he spent a wealth of time tossing off a plethora of rude comments about Mudbloods and nerds having no life and how Hermione belonged to that category.

"Look, Granger, I'm not going to agree with you. Give it up. I say we built the huts here and that's that. A smart person would have figured that out. Of course, you're not a smart person, so I forgive your stupidity and ignorance."

There was not one time that Hermione enjoyed sparring with Draco Malfoy; and this time was one of the worst. 

"You. Need. An. Attitude. Change." She retorted, stabbing her finger into his chest as she said every word. But by God, his chest sure was muscular. Hermione could almost feel his muscles behind his thin gray shirt which seemed to bring his eyes out even more.

"Oh, yeah?" Draco challenged.

"Yeah." Hermione confirmed.

They played a waiting game. He raked her with a hot look she saw for exactly what it was. The look that reduced them to the two different sexes. An elemental look that cast her into the weaker role.

"You haven't even given me three good reasons why we should build the huts here."

"You don't need three. Just one."

"And what, may that be?"

"What I say counts." 

Hermione let her exasperation show. 

"What? Just because whatever it is you say, it counts? It just counts? Like that?" she snapped her fingers.

Draco blinked at her fingers. He never could snap like that, not that he needed to. He was someone who had authority and he didn't need any finger snapping to get him what he wanted.

He stared at her face and saw sweat dribbling down one side of the face. A few strands of her hair stuck to that side of the face and Draco felt like reaching out and tucking it back behind her ears. In fact, he did. Damn, he just couldn't control his hand movements when he was with this girl.

"W-what was that for?" Hermione's face flushed.

"Nothing. It was irritating me and adding to your ugliness, too. Decided to do you a kind act. Good deed for the day, you know." Draco's tone was hard, yet he knew that he was telling a huge, gigantic lie.

For a moment, Hermione looked as if she was going to cry and then, the glassy look in her eyes was quickly taken over by a fiery look. 

"You irritating bas-" 

"Uh-uh. You ain't poking my chest anymore." Draco said as he grabbed her fingers, which were about to drill into his chest once again.

"So what if I do? You can't do the same to me." Hermione's voice had a challenging ring to it. She tried to wriggle her fingers out of his tight grasp.

"Can't I?" Draco seemingly took up the challenge. 

Hermione gasped. "You wouldn't…" 

Draco grabbed both her hands and pointed a finger of his at her breasts. Hermione gasped loudly as Draco poked her in one of her breasts. 

Draco's knees felt a bit weak. He didn't think he would do that. It was just a rash and impulsive thought. Yet he wouldn't let his shock show in front of Hermione.

He just let both her hands go and said coolly, "Soft." Then he turned away, leaving Hermione's mouth gaping open.

"Draco Malfoy. You stand right there." She said dangerously then quickly walked over to him.

Draco raised his well-defined eyebrows. He didn't believe she would do anything. She did. She slapped him; right across the face.

Draco felt his face sting from the blow. It was one of those rare moments when he felt that life had just dealt him a deuce. He thought it had always dealt him aces.

Just as he was about to speak, Hermione shouted at him, "Don't you dare think that I wouldn't do it again and NEVER do whatever you did just now."

To add oil to the fuel, Draco simply said, "You wouldn't do it again."

Hermione slapped him again for the nerve he had. 

"Yes I would." She said, and walked away, feeling a small victory.

****

End Flashback

By late afternoon, they had reached an agreement not to kill each other. They had built their huts on different spots, though they weren't far away.

Hermione smiled at her hut in self-satisfaction. She thought it looked great, even though there were small pieces of wood sticking out in a few areas. In many areas, actually, just that she had tried to conceal them just so that that arrogant pig would not laugh at what she had built.

He did. "What are you building? A tepee?" 

"And what did YOU build? Don't look like some mansion to me," Hermione smirked. She thought Draco's hut looked much more worse than hers. 

Draco thought her hut was the worst looking 

hut he had ever seen, even worse than his. And he told her so, even though she didn't care. She was too busy frowning.

"What now?" Draco asked, exasperated.

"Shut up. I'm thinking." It took every ounce of strength in Draco not to roll his eyes heavenward. That stupid woman was always thinking about one thing or another.

"Big surprise," Draco muttered to himself as he returned to his hut to get a nap. He was getting damn tired just building a stupid hut and looking at Hermione.

After awhile, Draco did get a big surprise. There was food, by the lot. Right in front of a cozy campfire. And around the campfire were long pieces of fresh driftwood. They seemed to be benches. What's best was that there was a leather bag of daily necessities like tooth brushes, tooth powder, shampoo, soap and many other heavenly stuff.

Just then, before Draco could keep his shocked look to himself, Hermione arrived. 

__

Damn her, why does she have to show up now? Of all times… Draco thought. 

Hermione took one good look at Draco and bit her lips from laughing out loud. He looked so shocked and for a moment she thought she saw delight somewhere deep in his eyes. Instead, she smiled.

"I wished for necessities and surprisingly, it wasn't against the laws!" she said amazingly. 

Draco gave a curt nod and said nothing more. He just didn't understand why she wished for necessities, out of all things. He wasn't sure if he would do the same. He knows that he should at least say "thank you" or something to that extent, yet he couldn't bring himself to say so. So he just smiled at Hermione, hoping against hope that the smile would seem cold to her.

It definitely didn't. Hermione thought his smile was beautiful. She didn't tell him so, for she was afraid of his reaction. 

"You should do that more often." She muttered to herself.

Draco caught it. "What?" he asked, even though he caught every word of what she said. 

"Nothing." Hermione shook her head. "I caught a fish. You hungry?"

Draco shrugged and Hermione took his shrug for a 'yes'. Guys just had the funniest way of saying 'yes' or 'no'.

She pulled her wet hair back and tied it back with a tight band. She was glad that she took a bath, using the soap and shampoo. She lathered herself and thought she had died and gone to heaven. The water came from a waterfall and was cooling and heavenly. She dived under it for many times and saw an amazing plunge pool beneath the waterfall. 

"There's a waterfall if you go further back into the woods. You can bathe there if you want." Hermione said, keeping her head down, so Draco wouldn't see her flushed and silly-looking face. Too late. Draco already saw it, but he decided to ignore it. He noticed that the girl blushed for the slightest reason.

"Bathe? With water?"

"Oh." Hermione quickly shoved in his outreached hand a shaving kit. Draco looked at her in amusement. 

"I don't have a stubble, Granger. Why do I need a shaving kit for?"

Hermione looked at his face and squinted to make sure that he had nothing beneath his chin. Draco restrained himself from laughing when he saw Hermione frown and take the shaving kit back from him. 

"It came together along with the other stuff…" she started to explain.

"Don't have to explain anything to me. I just need the soap and the rest of the washing stuff."

In a matter of seconds, in his hands was a bag of the necessities, including the shaving kit. 

Draco quickly turned around and walked away before Hermione caught his smile.

While Draco took his bath, Hermione quickly got to work by sticking a wooden stick into the fish she caught previously. She had went into the waster, knee-deep, and rolled her skirt up and tucked it between her legs. There, she had caught her very first fish. 

She was still beaming with pride when she was cooking the prize she caught. Draco saw the look of pride on her face and recognized it immediately for what it was. It was the same look that Hermione wore every time she did something right or aced a test in school.

Draco fingered his teeth and was amazed at how well the tooth powder had done the job. It was perfectly clean and the reflection he saw in the water was satisfying. He walked over and settled down on one of the driftwood around the campfire and tossed her the bag of necessities. 

"Here," came a low growl. 

Hermione frowned and was about to give him a good ticking for being ungrateful when she looked up and saw Draco drying his wet hair with a towel. HER towel.

Hermione screamed. Draco looked at her coolly. 

"What?" he drawled.

"T-that's my towel!" Draco looked at the towel in his hands. He suddenly noticed that it was pink in color. 

"So it is…" he mused.

"Yes, it is," Hermione hissed back.

"Is mine the green one, then?" Draco asked in an unconcerned tone.

Hermione rolled her eyes. There were only two towels, if his towel wasn't pink, then… what else is there to say? Besides… pink is a girl's color, isn't it? 

Draco tossed the pink towel to her and walked over to take the green towel from her. He kept walking over without looking down at his feet.

He tripped over a larger piece of rotten wood and fell face first in the sand.

His face was wet from the bath he just had and the sand was on every inch of his face. He looked up and spat out sand from his mouth. 

He was about to get up when Hermione said, "Stop. Don't move." 

Draco's hands were on his side, about to prompt himself up. He spat another mouthful of sand. "Why?" he spat.

"Because I want to remember you just as you are."

She tried hard not to laugh. She really tried. And failed. 

Draco grumbled to himself as he ate the half-cooked fish he held. Some bits of it were raw and the other parts tasted bad, too. 

"Don't you know how to cook, huh, Granger?"

"Not really," Hermione admitted. "Never did much cooking at home."

"Yeah, figures," Draco answered with a snort.

"Well, what about you, huh, pretty boy? I bet you never have to lift a finger at home. Just a bell ringing will send hundreds of servants to you, maybe just to kiss your feet." Hermione retorted, her voice indignant.

Draco smirked. "Yeah, but my feet sure taste better than your lips." He knew that he had just told a lie again. 

Hermione kept silent, head bent down. She didn't want to believe it was true, but at the back of her head, she was wondering if what he said was true. After all, maybe that's the reason why he walked away from her so suddenly.

"Are you done eating?" Hermione asked quietly.

No answer. Draco just tossed the half-eaten fish into the fire and watched it burn in the fiery red flames.

"Fine," said Hermione, as she threw her own half-eaten fish into the fire too and walked over to the sea and washed her delicate hands in the sea water.

Draco knew that he had hurt her, but he didn't want to care about what he had said. He seldom did. In fact, he only cared about what he said to his mother, and no one else. Not even his damn father. He didn't deserve any respect from anyone, least of all from his own son, for the despicable acts he has done and will always do in future.

Yet, Draco found out that he did care a bit for Hermione, for the strangest reason. He didn't want to feel care and concern for someone like her. He tried to think about how illogical and unreasonable person she is and how he should hate her instead. But these thoughts harboring hate quickly changed to their kiss together. 

Right now, she was just sitting down on these big piece of rock, her knees propped up and arms rested on them. Her chin was also resting on her arms and she looked so peaceful just sitting there. The only thing Draco hoped was that she wasn't doing her favorite sport again: thinking. She seemed to be doing that constantly.

Draco decided not to let the flames extinguish by pouring sand on it, so he just walked over to the sea and washed his hands. After that, he suddenly felt lost, as if he didn't know what to do. He just stood there with his hands in the pocket, and only realized that he was standing close to the sea when the high tides came in and tickled his toes.

He turned in the direction of Hermione and saw her head buried in her arms. Her hair, now dry, was on her back, spread out like a halo above the head of an angel.

He didn't know what drove him to do it, but he suddenly went over quietly to Hermione and sat down beside her. 

"Hey," he said gently.

Hermione looked up and Draco thought he saw that her cheeks were tear-streaked. _Damn,_ he thought, _she had been thinking again._

"Look." He suddenly said, pointing to the sky. Hermione, glad that Draco hadn't seen her tears, looked at the direction where he was pointing.

It took a little time for her eyes to adjust to the light. She could hear the waves hitting against the shore, the caw of sea gulls. She also caught the sweet tropical scent of something wet and green she suspected was the sea.

She knelt down on the flat rock and froze. Everything froze – her ability to speak, her breath and for an instant, her heartbeat.

Spread out before her was a broad cove of a tropical inlet, entirely arched in a thick rainbow of pink, purple, blue and yellow. Beneath the rainbow were lush green hills. In the distance was the high, dark cone of a volcano. A small cloud of mist ringed the tall peak and made the island look as if it touched the heavens above.

The water in the cove bled from deep aqua blue to pale green to a brilliant silvery color just before it foamed like spun sugar into the wet sand. Spiky pandanus palms and bushes thick with flowers the color of the tropical sunset spread from the green hills all the way down to the edge of the beach, where the white sand took on pink tints from the cast of the slowly setting sun.

Even the sky was different here. The late afternoon sun was a yellowish-pink ball in the west, where clouds strolled by wearing colors of gray and lavender. It was the same sky, yet it seemed too brilliant for it to be earthly. Perhaps it was because this island's beauty was something she had never before experienced.

Like yesterday's dream, the rainbow had faded. A cloud blocked the sun, but there was still enough tropical warmth to cause steam to rise up from the sand and from the lush green ferns and bushes behind the beach. Tall coconut palms waved in the trade wind like welcoming hands. Their color turned from green to violet to purple while the gleam of the sea blended from silver to pink.

Surprised that something like that could touch her so deeply, Hermione stared at the changing colors so real, yet so unreal. She had seen islands, had seen the setting sun and pink skies after a storm. She had seen many beaches during her holidays with her family.

But it was so different it was hard to believe it was the same South Seas that she had known all her life. There was more than just a sense of peace about this island. More than a place saturated in beauty. It was untouched, isolated, as if the world had passed it by. Not forsaken, but hidden. A treasure so precious, the nature had protected it.

Draco had tapped her shoulder to get her attention, but Hermione still couldn't tear her eyes away from the beauty that lies before her. All she could say was, "This is paradise."


	6. Revenge Is Sweet

****

In The Previous Chapter

He didn't know what drove him to do it, but he suddenly went over quietly to Hermione and sat down beside her. 

"Hey," he said gently.

Hermione looked up and Draco thought he saw that her cheeks were tear-streaked. _Damn,_ he thought, _she had been thinking again._

"Look." He suddenly said, pointing to the sky. Hermione, glad that Draco hadn't seen her tears, looked at the direction where he was pointing.

It took a little time for her eyes to adjust to the light. She could hear the waves hitting against the shore, the caw of sea gulls. She also caught the sweet tropical scent of something wet and green she suspected was the sea.

She knelt down on the flat rock and froze. Everything froze – her ability to speak, her breath and for an instant, her heartbeat.

Spread out before her was a broad cove of a tropical inlet, entirely arched in a thick rainbow of pink, purple, blue and yellow. Beneath the rainbow were lush green hills. In the distance was the high, dark cone of a volcano. A small cloud of mist ringed the tall peak and made the island look as if it touched the heavens above.

The water in the cove bled from deep aqua blue to pale green to a brilliant silvery color just before it foamed like spun sugar into the wet sand. Spiky pandanus palms and bushes thick with flowers the color of the tropical sunset spread from the green hills all the way down to the edge of the beach, where the white sand took on pink tints from the cast of the slowly setting sun.

Even the sky was different here. The late afternoon sun was a yellowish-pink ball in the west, where clouds strolled by wearing colors of gray and lavender. It was the same sky, yet it seemed too brilliant for it to be earthly. Perhaps it was because this island's beauty was something she had never before experienced.

Like yesterday's dream, the rainbow had faded. A cloud blocked the sun, but there was still enough tropical warmth to cause steam to rise up from the sand and from the lush green ferns and bushes behind the beach. Tall coconut palms waved in the trade wind like welcoming hands. Their color turned from green to violet to purple while the gleam of the sea blended from silver to pink.

Surprised that something like that could touch her so deeply, Hermione stared at the changing colors so real, yet so unreal. She had seen islands, had seen the setting sun and pink skies after a storm. She had seen many beaches during her holidays with her family.

But it was so different it was hard to believe it was the same South Seas that she had known all her life. There was more than just a sense of peace about this island. More than a place saturated in beauty. It was untouched, isolated, as if the world had passed it by. Not forsaken, but hidden. A treasure so precious, the nature had protected it.

Draco had tapped her shoulder to get her attention, but Hermione still couldn't tear her eyes away from the beauty that lies before her. All she could say was, "This is paradise."

****

Revenge Is Sweet

"This is stupid," Draco raked his fingers through his silvery hair. He was getting so damn frustrated and he let his exasperation show.

"What is stupid? The fact that I just made a suggestion or that you don't agree with it?" 

Draco rolled his gray eyes and sighed with fatigue. 

"The fact that you just made a suggestion," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"That is the most-"

"Look, Granger, I'll bathe wherever and whenever I want. You can't stop me. Plus, I think that you are the one who's _destroying the natural environment._ You take a bath five times a day. Isn't that enough soap to go around?"

Hermione's face flushed, but she regained her composure fast. 

"I'm not even suggesting that you shouldn't bathe at all. For God's sake, I'm just saying that we should actually ration the water for bathing. Then there wouldn't be any more soap floating in the waterfall."

"The waterfall doesn't even flow anywhere. What harm would it do?"

"It's environmentally ugly! Or are you too blinded by all the soap to see so?" Hermione retorted sarcastically.

"Listen, if you want to bathe somewhere else or ration your _own_ water, I don't mind. Just hope that I don't pass by wherever it is you choose to bathe at."

With that, Draco turned his back on Hermione's face, which was right now, tinted pink.

While Hermione was thinking about another comeback, Draco suddenly stopped in his tracks and tossed a comment that made Hermione's face blush further. 

"By the way, don't waste your last wish on buckets. Try your mouth for the rationing. It just might work. It's big enough, trust me."

Hermione glared at his back and hoped that she would bore a hole bigger than his head on it. She suddenly diverted her gaze, or rather, glare, at the pile of clothes in his hut. She smiled a weird smile. Revenge is sweet.

She swiped his clothes. She had sneaked to the waterfall when he was bathing and took his clothes away. She was about to laugh out loud when she caught sight of Draco's muscular chest. She stopped in her tracks, but was still covered by the huge boulder in front of her. 

She saw Draco lathering his arms with the soap and then his chest. She stared open-mouthed as she took in Draco's upper torso profile all at once. Finally, she decided that she had had enough and that she would drool if she had stayed back further. She left the waterfall and ran all the way back to the beach. 

By the time she reached the beach, she was panting like she had just run a thousand miles. Though she did realize that her panting had something to do with Draco's chest as well, that it wasn't all connected to her running.

She looked down at Draco's clothes in her hands and laughed out loud. Revenge _is _sweet, just as she thought.

By evening, a horrible thought suddenly arose in Hermione's head. She started thinking if revenge was really that sweet. Almost half a day had passed her by and she still hasn't seen Draco. She was so tired after the run and all the excitement that she almost slept through that half of the day. She woke up, only to feel Draco's soft clothes in her arms.

She was still in a daze when she went out of her own hut and walked to the waterfall. She was still rubbing her sleepy eyes when she realized that Draco wasn't in the waterfall.

Hugging his clothes in her hands, she broke into a run, as she was suddenly worried about Draco. A million thoughts ran through her head and out of these thoughts, only about one seemed positive enough to set her mind on ease.

She finally found him in his hut. 

"Draco?" she called out gently, tentatively.

"Go soak your head, Granger." He was huddled in a knot in a dark corner, his knees pulled against his chest and his head turned away from her and resting on his knees.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying hard not to strangle you right this instant."

"Is this about the clothes?" Hermione asked, knowing that the answer even though he said nothing.

He slowly turned to face her and Hermione gasped at the silhouette of his face in the dark.

"I got sunburned; does it say anything, huh, smart ass?"

That was an understatement. He was sun-fried.

His face. His neck. His eyelids and lips and cheeks. His arms and hands were all bright reddish pink. There were even little tiny white creases in the corners of his eyes. It was one hell of a burn.

He looked down at Hermione's hands which were still hugging his clothes. 

"I don't need those clothes anymore. About time you brought them back too, anyway, huh? You think so?"

Hermione felt about as low as a person could. She felt the most consuming sense of guilt, compounded by anger, all directed at herself. She wanted to say something. But the right words escaped him – if there even were right words for a time like this. So she just stood in the doorway, not knowing what else to do or say.

Draco shifted and tried to get up, then gasped in pain.

"I'll help," Hermione quickly rushed over to him and took hold of his forearm.

Draco flung her arms away and gave up the motion of standing. Instead, he just sat there, glaring at her. Hell, it even hurt just glaring.

"Haven't you done enough?" his voice held such a bitter edge that Hermione felt like she had shrunk to the size of a ferret.

"I-I didn't know you would stay there for such a long time…" Hermione started.

"So you're saying it wasn't your friggin' fault?"

"Well… technically…" 

"Technically, basically, practically, theoretically, I do NOT want to hear any more technicalities coming from your friggin' mouth."

Hermione shut her mouth up and held back whatever comments she had about him.

"I-I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.

He didn't say anything, except mutter something like, "Eternal damnation on your dark soul." 

"I didn't mean to. It's just that… this early afternoon, you got me so riled up that I just did whatever that came to my mind."

"Oh. So I really should be glad that you didn't wish for a Colt 45 gun and just shoot me in the head just because that was the first thought that popped into your mind? I see." Draco's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Hermione sighed; Draco can be such a difficult, demanding, crude person at times. But she knew that this was mostly her fault and that she should and would take full responsibility for it.

With that thought, she turned and walked out of his hut. Draco snorted at her apology and turned on his side to feel more comfortable when he realized that no part of his body was really comfortable after all, after that sun-burning session in the waterfall. That friggin' woman was so damn vengeful and evil. How could she just swipe his clothes without thinking about the fact that he wouldn't come out of the waterfall until hours later, when he realizes finally that she wasn't around? 

  
Suddenly, there was a loud plop beside him and he managed to turn around on his other side without moaning with pain. All he saw was a big pile of food and Hermione kneeling beside him, smiling her apologetic smile once again.

"What do you want from me now?" Draco almost pleaded. He just wanted a good rest, to rest his bones, minds, and most of all, skin. Was that too much to ask for? Honestly, that woman can be a mental torture when she wanted to. Was she doing this on purpose? Draco couldn't help but wonder.

"Nothing. I was just thinking-"

__

Now we've got trouble… Draco thought, rolling his eyes. What a surprise. Hermione thinking.

"- that since I got you into this mess, I should actually take care of you properly until you fully recover."

"Why, thank you _so_ much," Draco had fake gratitude written all over his face and contained all over in his voice.

Hermione frowned. 

"Don't be so grateful… I might choke…" Hermione mumbled softly, so that no one could hear whatever it is she was mumbling except her.

Drake looked at the pile of fruit she placed before him and grimaced as he stretched his neck further. He could practically feel his skin shredding. He felt like a caterpillar molting. It was a terrible feeling.

Hermione caught that grimace of his and quickly sat beside him and set him slowly down. Draco glared at her and tried his best to shrug her off once he was down on the ground again. He didn't want her stupid help. Of all people, why would he pick her to help him?

What kind of nonsense will that be?

Hermione bit her lip from snapping out loud at Draco. He was being such an insufferable git. Here she was, sorry for what she had done, then there he goes, snapping at her at every chance he got.

What kind of nonsense is that?

Draco looked up at Hermione and realized that she wasn't going to budge one foot if he didn't at least eat a morsel. He felt like sighing, then decided not to let Hermione see that she had indeed exasperated him beyond belief. 

He slowly placed both palms on the ground and pushed his whole weight up. Before he knew it, Hermione was already supporting his weight with both her hands. They were both pressing into his back, making him cry out. 

Hermione gasped and quickly set him down, making him grimace in pain. 

Before Hermione could say anything, Draco raised a weary hand to silence her. He just knew that she was going to say sorry once again. Damn, but he was getting sick of that word.

He reached slowly for a piece of breadfruit and determined now to show Hermione any signs of pain even though it hurt like hell, he slowly turned around. Determined not to let Hermione watch him eat like a mother hen fussing over her chicks. He hated that kind of treatment.

As soon as he turned around, he heard a sharp intake of breath. Coming from Hermione. His shoulders slumped with fatigue. He decided to ignore Hermione and not ask her what the hell was it that made her gasp like that. He didn't even touch her.

"W-who did this t-to you?" Hermione half-whispered.

Draco was wondering what she was talking about when he suddenly realized it. She saw them; that's why she was gasping. Despite his pain, he quickly reached for his shirt and tried putting it on. 

Hermione snatched his shirt away from him and continued staring at his back. 

"Are you going to keep stealing my clothes?" Draco asked, in what he hoped was a cold and demanding voice. But he knew that there was this certain quiver in his voice that none of them could ignore.

Hermione ignored that question. She repeated hers instead.

"Who did this to you?" she repeated in a firm voice.

Draco suddenly felt far from protective. He felt furious. Who was she to question him like that? And in that tone, too. She had no right to question him and therefore, he had no right to answer her. It was as simple as that. No real logic behind that.

It was when she repeated her question for the fourth time did he finally open his mouth. Just to shut her up.

"I did."

For a moment, Hermione felt that Draco was telling the truth. After all, he seemed like such a sadistic person to her. Then, hearing the slight anguish in his voice, she wagered that he couldn't have done it to himself.

"Don't lie to me." 

Draco suddenly turned around swiftly, ignoring his aching back. 

"Who the hell do you think you are, questioning me like that? You have absolutely no right," Draco half-shouted.

Hermione cowered back, afraid to look up and meet the midnight blue flecks in his gray eyes welcoming her. She looked down, fearful of what he might do to her.

He was right. She had no right. None at all. So why was she asking him the exact question. She knew she had to have the answers, but somehow, she didn't want to hear it from him.

She finally looked up. 

"You're right. I am no one. and I have no right," she whispered. Draco looked surprised at her easy acceptance of his temper. He thought for sure that she might just flare up in his face.

But Hermione continued. "But is it really wrong to care?"

With that, she turned around and walked out of the hut.

Draco felt the fury in him dissipate quickly. He suddenly felt strange. Not anger, nor fear. He felt warm and comfort in place of other emotions. He tried holding his tears back, but he couldn't. He attempted to stand on his head. The pain inside and outside combined was too much.

Care? Nobody had done that for him. Not his so-called close friends. Let alone his father. His mother had cared. And in the end, she got more than cares. She got whips. Was that fair? Draco couldn't tell at a young age, neither could he now.

Care. He felt this word caressing his soul and muttering nonsensical words to it, as if soothing it.

He wondered what was it that made Hermione care. He wondered and wondered until he felt that his tears had dried up on his face. He had tasted the salt in his tears and all he could feel then was sweetness. 

For once, then. Just once, in his lifetime. He wanted more than care. He wanted love.


	7. Checkmate

****

Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in the story. They all belong to J K Rowling. Lucky her, huh? Well… what's yours will be yours. What's mine will eventually be mine. *smiles* So… let's get on with the show! Please remember to read and review, all right? Thanks!

****

From the previous chapter

Draco suddenly turned around swiftly, ignoring his aching back. 

"Who the hell do you think you are, questioning me like that? You have absolutely no right," Draco half-shouted.

Hermione cowered back, afraid to look up and meet the midnight blue flecks in his gray eyes welcoming her. She looked down, fearful of what he might do to her.

He was right. She had no right. None at all. So why was she asking him the exact question. She knew she had to have the answers, but somehow, she didn't want to hear it from him.

She finally looked up. 

"You're right. I am no one. and I have no right," she whispered. Draco looked surprised at her easy acceptance of his temper. He thought for sure that she might just flare up in his face.

But Hermione continued. "But is it really wrong to care?"

With that, she turned around and walked out of the hut.

Draco felt the fury in him dissipate quickly. He suddenly felt strange. Not anger, nor fear. He felt warm and comfort in place of other emotions. He tried holding his tears back, but he couldn't. He attempted to stand on his head. The pain inside and outside combined was too much.

Care? Nobody had done that for him. Not his so-called close friends. Let alone his father. His mother had cared. And in the end, she got more than cares. She got whips. Was that fair? Draco couldn't tell at a young age, neither could he now.

Care. He felt this word caressing his soul and muttering nonsensical words to it, as if soothing it.

He wondered what was it that made Hermione care. He wondered and wondered until he felt that his tears had dried up on his face. He had tasted the salt in his tears and all he could feel then was sweetness. 

For once, then. Just once, in his lifetime. He wanted more than care. He wanted love.

****

Checkmate 

Hermione sure didn't 'care' for him long enough, or so Draco thinks so. That morning, she practically dragged him out of his make-shift bed and told him to get his sun-fried butt out in the sea. Draco looked at her in disbelief.

"In the sea?" he asked incredulously.

Hermione nodded half-heartedly, while rummaging through his trunk.

Draco was too shocked to stop her. 

"Out in the sun?" 

Hermione nodded once more, leaving Draco feeling like he could wrench her neck at any time.

Draco opened his mouth to ask her whether she knew of anything called privacy, then decided against it almost immediately. That woman could be as daft as a donkey. Sometimes, Draco even wondered if donkeys could possibly be smarter than her. He didn't even want to arrive at that hideous thought.

Instead he demanded her to stop looking through his trunks. 

"Stop looking through my stuff," he commanded.

"I'm looking for something for you to wear," she answered, while rummaging through his other trunks. That boy had too many clothes, she thought. He was just too vain.

Draco watched as she practically tossed every clothing of his out in the open. She did blush when she came to his under-things, but after a few embarrassing seconds, she didn't seem to mind at all and started to toss them out, too.

Draco felt himself stand up and then, his skin stretching. He stayed in that hunched position until he could feel the discomfort pass him over. He looked up at the first thing he saw was Hermione's firm butt.

He took his own sweet time taking in her appearance that morning. Today, she was wearing a pair of shorts and spaghetti straps. Her shorts were damned short today, Draco decided, and he thought that he had never seen anything so appealing before.

Unfortunately, Hermione turned and at that moment, saw Draco staring at her butt. She quickly turned around and gave Draco a good frown before smiling and showing him a pair of shorts. 

It was no ordinary pair of shorts. It was the most horrible one Draco had ever had. He didn't even remember packing it in. Then he reminded himself that it was probably the stupid and dumb house-elf that had packed it in for him. He swore that he was going to murder that elf when he gets back. if he gets back alive from the humiliation he was sure Hermione would shove into his face.

Hermione seemed to beam with pride as she showed him the pair of shorts. 

"Wonderful, isn't it?" 

Draco raised a well-defined eyebrow. He was about to launch into another full-fledged argument with her when he realized that she didn't find it hideous at all. If he shouted his denial, she would then realize what he's embarrassed about and then record it in her super memory for later use.

Draco forced a smile which he thought looked absolutely fake and said yes to Hermione's ridiculous remark.

Hermione thought the pair of shorts she had found was just perfect for a swim. She thought it looked hideous, but didn't say so. She reasoned that if she did say so, then Draco would then never wear it and then he would never get into the sea.

Then Hermione would feel guilty all over again, repeating the cycle that had invaded her life since she had snatched his clothes. Or rather, since he got sun-fried.

Draco seemed to have forgotten her first remark when she had given him such a rude awakening in the morning. 

"Beautiful morning, isn't it?" she remarked in a cheerful tone.

Draco finally realized what she was getting at when she shoved the terrible and unbelievably ugly pair of shorts into his arms.

"Change into it. Your shirt can stay."

Draco started shaking his head, then realized that he had one choice if he argued with her at that moment. It was to carry on with that particular argument for the whole day.

Either way, he would have his bones aching and that also means more skin stretching. 

  
He sighed. Might as well get it over with, he thought.

Boy, was he ever wrong.

Hermione swore that she would drag him by the ankles if he didn't go into the stupid water.

It wasn't yet noon; only an hour had passed. Draco felt as if he had just celebrated his sixtieth birthday.

"Please, stop." Draco pleaded.

Hermione's grin grew wider as she shouted her denial over the rather turbulent waves. It was high tide now, and Draco swore to her that if he couldn't go back then, he would just let the backwash pull him into the sea. And he would jolly well stay there, not even if she dragged him by the ankles. 

His only reply was a smile, followed by Hermione's tinkling laughter. 

He stood awkwardly in the sea, poking his toes tentatively in the wet sand. He was determined not to move an inch, just to prove his point. He might not let himself get dragged into the sea, but he would not move either. He wouldn't let Hermione get her way, no matter what.

Hermione tilted her head to one side and looked at Draco quizzically. What was he up to now? Hermione thought, as she slowly ran her fingers through her wet and tangled hair without realizing it.

Draco realized it though. For a moment, he continued standing there even when Hermione walked towards him. It wasn't to prove his point. He was just too fascinated to move any further. Hermione was running her long and sensitive fingers through her wet hair and Draco thought she looked wonderful as she cocked her head and fixated all her attention on him. Her warm brown eyes had a certain glint in them and Draco was sure that it was mischief mixed with happiness. 

He then noticed that Hermione was just standing in front of him, their faces inches apart.

"Hey," she whispered seductively.

Draco's eyebrow twitched. She had a whole new attitude now and Draco was sure that she was up to her usual something, but he couldn't quite put his finger around this strange feeling though.

He did feel a different kind of ache though. Different from the usual ache he got from his bones and skin. 

He couldn't help but wonder if it was from that well protected locket he had hidden deep within his rib-cages.

Hermione smiled slowly and her eyes fleeted over his face deliberately.

She moved closer and a part of Draco wanted to move away and run yet the other part of him, the major part, made him stay where he was. Now, their faces weren't just inches apart, they were inches closer.

Her mouth nearly touched his, and the both of them could feel their breaths on each other's faces, reminding the both of them that they were still breathing.

Especially Draco. He suddenly felt as if someone had been given the key to his locket. And that someone might just be him.

Hermione looked deep into his gray eyes and almost forgot her plan. She wasn't a straight A student for nothing. She could keep her attention focused damn well and she knew it, thus the plan.

Still, as she saw her own reflection in his gray eyes, she couldn't help but tiptoe a bit to nick his lower lip. God's truth, it was too soft. 

Draco could have let his jaw drop if he had the strength.

He bent his head down and proceeded to kiss her. Hermione let him.

Faced with such distraction, she couldn't help but let her plan delay for a little longer.

She smiled as Draco's mouth took over hers almost possessively. His kiss was hot, demanding, yet tender and gentle all at the same time. How Hermione loved it. She didn't know that she had it in her until the passion in her felt its own release. 

Draco's mouth slanted over hers over and over again. Some logical part of her told her to get on with her original plan and stop the smooching. But that part couldn't out-win the illogical half.

Finally, when their tongues touched for the fourth time, it was seriously time to come up for air, or the both of them might just suffocate from lack of air. However, Hermione thought that she had just died and gone to heaven.

Draco looked at her swollen lips and resisted every urge inside of him to kiss her once again. He needed some self-control lessons. He never knew he had lacked them.

He then looked around them and realized that they were lying down in the sand. He didn't even know how they got there, and with a slight arrogance, he decided that Hermione was enjoying his kiss too much to notice her surroundings.

Hermione looked around and smiled. Perfect, she thought. Perfect to execute my plan.

She placed her body on top of Draco's and Draco tried his best to ignore her tempting weight and body just above his.

She looked closely at Draco and smiled a slow smile. She leaned in closer once again and locked her arms around his neck. Draco couldn't hide his surprise, but he was sure that Hermione couldn't see it. Her face was buried in his silvery-blond hair. 

He tentatively placed his arms around her tiny waist and when he did so, he tightened his hold and smiled contentedly. He wondered if they could stay in the sun like this. Then he remembered, the sun. His body suddenly, miraculously recovered. 

He would have believed anything else in the world. Anything, everything, except the fact that Hermione was his miracle. She had made him open up, made him unscrew the tight cork that confined all his feelings. She made him new. He refused to believe it. he was too afraid that it just might be true.

A few seconds later, if he knew what was coming at him, he wouldn't have thought so.

Because at the very moment a few seconds later, Hermione had whispered his name softly and when he answered with a "yes?", she had bit his earlobe. Softly, not enough to hurt him. yet the next statement amused him long and well enough.

She leaned in closer and whispered gently into his ear.

"Checkmate."


	8. Sweet Torture

****

In the previous chapter

She placed her body on top of Draco's and Draco tried his best to ignore her tempting weight and body just above his.

She looked closely at Draco and smiled a slow smile. She leaned in closer once again and locked her arms around his neck. Draco couldn't hide his surprise, but he was sure that Hermione couldn't see it. Her face was buried in his silvery-blond hair. 

He tentatively placed his arms around her tiny waist and when he did so, he tightened his hold and smiled contentedly. He wondered if they could stay in the sun like this. Then he remembered, the sun. His body suddenly, miraculously recovered. 

He would have believed anything else in the world. Anything, everything, except the fact that Hermione was his miracle. She had made him open up, made him unscrew the tight cork that confined all his feelings. She made him new. He refused to believe it. he was too afraid that it just might be true.

A few seconds later, if he knew what was coming at him, he wouldn't have thought so.

Because at the very moment a few seconds later, Hermione had whispered his name softly and when he answered with a "yes?", she had bit his ear. 

Softly, not enough to hurt him. yet the next statement amused him long and well enough.

She leaned in closer and whispered gently into his ear.

"Checkmate."

****

Sweet Torture

Draco was still in a shock when she placed her whole weight on her elbows, looked at him, smiled cunningly, and then got up in one swift movement and ran away.

Draco felt his jaw stiffen. He didn't know whether he should feel amazed at her slyness, that she had outwitted him, or angry at the fact that she had humiliated him.

He thought he felt neither. He felt amused instead. He saw Hermione run into _his_ hut and felt the corners of his mouth twitch into another one of his cunning smiles. He was also glad that the attempt didn't make his skin taut, like it did yesterday.

He walked briskly and on the way to his hut, decided against the motion of grabbing Sniffy out of his bottle and murder him on the spot, so Hermione wouldn't get her last wish. Sniffy was an irritating genie, after all, and Draco was sure that no one would miss him. Anyway, he never came out of his bottle these days. Hermione never let him out either. Draco would die first before he took out the corkscrew. 

Therefore, he went into the hut, and Hermione collided face-first with his muscular chest. Obviously she had realized that she was in the wrong hut. Too bad she realized it too late, Draco thought coyly.

"Hello," he said, his voice low and husky.

Hermione felt it surprising that he didn't just grab her and throw her across the hut. She tried to find a way around him, but his body was far larger than hers, and he blocked almost the whole doorway.

She frowned and tried to guess his plan instead.

"Don't you try to seduce me," she said, after a moment's thought.

Draco looked amused that she had even thought of that. He even wondered if he should just change strategies right that instant.

"And why not?" 

"Because it won't work," Hermione boasted confidently.

Draco smiled with equal confidence. He deliberately leaned down to kiss her. Hermione refused to react, despite the desperate urge to just open her mouth.

After a few torturous moments for the both of them, Draco didn't seem to have the idea of stopping. He didn't even seem to notice that Hermione wasn't reacting.

Hermione panicked. What if he kept at it for long? She couldn't keep up with her self-control any longer.

Then, she purposely opened her mouth and Draco let out a low growl of satisfaction. She purposely bit his bottom lip and flicked his tongue with hers. She purposely ran her hands slowly down his lean sides. And purposely tickled them. She had outwitted him once again.

Draco pulled back from her and heard her tinkling laughter once again. He had stopped kissing her, but she hadn't stopped tickling him, though. His sides were already aching with laughter and he felt as if they might burst. He would have grabbed hold of both her hands if he had the strength to. He was laughing too much, all composure forgotten.

She finally decided to stop torturing him. Draco had stopped all his laughing and by now, Hermione was sure that he would surely murder her. Instead, he was smiling. Genuinely.

Hermione felt confusion and suspicion creep inside her. She wasn't confused nor suspicious for long. Her confusion was unnecessary and her suspicion was confirmed.  
  
Draco grabbed her. Literally. He put an arm underneath the insides of her knees and the other around her neck. Though he was careful enough not to hurt her.

She was as light as a feather. Draco had no trouble at all lifting her. The strange thing was, he felt no resistant coming from her. He looked down briefly and saw her smiling at him. There was no coyness, seductiveness, nor slyness in it. It was a real smile. Facing such beauty, Draco had to look up before he tripped over his own feet. Suddenly, he didn't mind falling flat on his face, but he didn't want to drag Hermione down with him. She might get hurt. He chided himself for thinking about her. He hadn't a slightest idea about what was going on in his head and in his life nowadays. He knew it was because of Hermione. But he somehow couldn't bring himself to blame her. She was too innocent to carry a burden of his blame on her tiny shoulders.

He hadn't noticed it, but the both of them had already made their way to the waterfall.

He looked down. "Time for a bath."

She simply nodded and closed her eyes to brace herself for the plunge into the water. It never came. 

She eventually got into the water, though. But it was so gentle that Hermione couldn't believe it was Draco who had pulled her into the water. She finally opened her eyes when she felt the cold water cover the lower half of her body. She looked up and all she could see was Draco staring intently at her.

She suddenly realized that he was in the water with her, and that he was still carrying her n his arms. Hermione nudged his chest gently, as if indicating that he can put her down already. Draco shook his head forcefully and went in deeper into the water.

The water was damned cold. Hermione felt her teeth chatter as they ventured deep into the water. Draco was taller, so by the time the base of Hermione's neck had reached the water surface, only half of Draco's chest was submerged in the water. She suddenly decided that he was trying to drown her. She kicked the water with her legs and struggled in his grasp, trying to get away.

He wouldn't let her. He didn't know why she had started struggling in his arms; she had seemed so peaceful a while ago. He didn't realize that it was him that had caused such a violent reaction in her.

Hermione's tears flowed freely. She was suddenly afraid of this boy in front of her. She suddenly felt that he was dangerous and was suddenly full of fear, afraid of what he would do to her.

Draco didn't realize that she was crying until she started hiccuping against his chest.

"Oh, God…" he muttered softly as he carried her out of the freezing water.

He laid her down and her shoulders slumped against a big gray boulder. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to ignore the intent stare Draco was giving her. That was so not her, being so illogical. Of course he wasn't trying to drown her, although Hermione wasn't sure what else he would do if his intention wasn't to drown her. She refused to let her thoughts wander that far. She was embarrassed at her own uselessness.

Draco tried to touch her chin, but Hermione wouldn't let him. She swiped his hand away forcefully, surprising Draco. But that didn't stop Draco from engaging her in a tight embrace.

Hermione tried to resist once again, but then realized that her strength was no match for Draco's and gave up, before Draco felt her any more foolish.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, breaking the silence between them.

"Nothing," she said, refusing to tell him anything. 

Draco pulled back from the one-sided hug and knelt down before her. He wasn't ready to give up now, even if she was. A million thoughts about why Hermione was suddenly so afraid of him ran through his now scattered mind. Then, illogically, he picked the most ridiculous and unlikely one.

"I wouldn't hurt you," he ventured slowly, knowing for sure that he had certainly gone in the wrong direction. 

Before he could switch directions, Hermione's face gave her away. God's truth, it was the most ridiculous and unlikely conclusion that was the truest. 

"I really wouldn't. Trust me." And that was it. He had said the two words that he thought always meant nothing to him. He swore never to use those useless words; he had given an oath under his father's name and his only witness to that oath was his father himself.

Hermione's heart warmed at the last two words. 'Trust me'. She looked up at those gray eyes and tried to see the warmness in it. She could definitely see it. But the fact that intrigued her was that she saw another dark shadow lurk behind the brightness of the optimism. 

So, instead of saying that she trusted him, which was true, she said nothing and placed a feathery touch on his chest, where his heart was situated at.

"Trust yourself, Draco," she whispered.


	9. Everywhere

****

Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, except Sniffy, but I got the idea of a genie from the book. I also used a song by Michelle Branch, "Everywhere", towards the end of the chapter. And remember, read and review!

****

In the previous chapter

Draco pulled back from the one-sided hug and knelt down before her. He wasn't ready to give up now, even if she was. A million thoughts about why Hermione was suddenly so afraid of him ran through his now scattered mind. Then, illogically, he picked the most ridiculous and unlikely one.

"I wouldn't hurt you," he ventured slowly, knowing for sure that he had certainly gone in the wrong direction. 

Before he could switch directions, Hermione's face gave her away. God's truth, it was the most ridiculous and unlikely conclusion that was the truest. 

"I really wouldn't. Trust me." And that was it. He had said the two words that he thought always meant nothing to him. He swore never to use those useless words; he had given an oath under his father's name and his only witness to that oath was his father himself.

Hermione's heart warmed at the last two words. 'Trust me'. She looked up at those gray eyes and tried to see the warmness in it. She could definitely see it. But the fact that intrigued her was that she saw another dark shadow lurk behind the brightness of the optimism. 

So, instead of saying that she trusted him, which was true, she said nothing and placed a feathery touch on his chest, where his heart was situated at.

"Trust yourself, Draco," she whispered.

****

Everywhere

She had fallen asleep in his arms beside the waterfall. As he heard the sounds of the water plunging into the plunge pool and felt the steady rhythm of Hermione's breathing, he closed his eyes in all tranquility of it.

He felt totally at ease and his mind consciously wandered back to previously, when Hermione had said nothing about trusting him and instead, had asked him to trust himself. It was the most peculiar thing he had ever encountered. He had never had anyone try to contradict him. Now, there was just too much distractions to contradict him. 

When Hermione didn't say anything about trusting him, he thought that his heat might somewhat just tear apart. Then, he suddenly thought about the shyness possessing Hermione, and it might be that she was just too embarrassed to say she did trust him. That thought brought his mind rest and peace, and brought his unsettling soul hope, too. He kept repeating that thought in his head, as if to convince himself totally. He almost did. But he knew that he still needed to hear the words himself. Yet Draco would not force her into saying something that she might not even want to say. He refused to let himself think that way. The possibility of that being true was just too great, and there was the other possibility to think about: his heart might just give way.

After harboring these thoughts, he gently carried her in his arms and walked back to the beach. It was actually late evening now. He couldn't imagine that they had spent half of the day together peacefully. Months and years ago, he would have thought that it would be impossible. Now, it didn't seem so unreachable anymore. 

Hermione hadn't even stirred in her sleep as Draco carried her to the beach. She had slept peacefully. She did sense movement, though, but was unwilling to budge or move out of her comfortable position. In her subconscious mind, she reminded herself that she was in Draco's arms, and in the past, she would have shouted an unholy blasphemy right in his face. Now, she just wanted to whisper sweet nothings in Draco's ears. And hoped that Draco did the same to her.

It was a willful wish, she knew. That would never happen. It was almost impossible, she thought. The both of them were just too stubborn and set in their own ways. To comply with each other, one of them, or even the both of them, might have to bend. But Hermione knew deep inside that she was an unbending person, and that Draco had as much capacity in him as her to bend to other peoples' wills.

Hermione didn't know how long had she been sleeping for, but as she slowly opened her eyes, the first sight that greeted her was so beautiful that she thought she was still dreaming. She opened her eyes to see the beautiful sunset. The horizon, amazingly, was red and gold blended in the most unusual way. Usually, it was red, orange and yellow, and in that order, too. Now, it was red, gold and bright yellow, all together and looked like a mixed pastel color. Hermione smiled at the sight before her and turned to find Draco sleeping beside her. Actually, his head was resting on her shoulder. Hermione was just too fascinated by the wonderful sight to notice the weight of his head on her right shoulder. 

She started tapping his shoulder slowly and gently. He didn't respond to her soft touch. Hermione tapped his shoulder once more, and Draco finally awoken and turned his full attention to her. Hermione's face flushed again as she saw Draco's face just inches away from hers.

"I-"

"Shhh…" Draco put a long finger to her lips and realized that her lips were shivering, as well as her body.

"Cold?" 

"Nay." She shook her head and smiled. She didn't want to admit that she was cold; she was afraid that Draco would make her go back to her hut. She didn't want to leave these beautiful scenery just yet. This was ridiculous, she knew, as in her hut, she would see the exact sight displayed before the both of them now. But, somehow, she knew that it would feel a different way.

"Yes, you are." He smiled as he moved closer to her. Eventually, they were sitting together so closely that their hips touched. Draco suddenly turned and hugged her tightly. He thought he was being crazy, but he didn't care.

Hermione let out a gasp of surprise and after a moment of hesitation, she draped her arms around his slender neck and sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked gently.

"Nothing." Hermione shook her head, brushing her hair against Draco's face as he breathed in the scent of her hair. He thought it smelt of rose-petals but didn't tell her so.

Hermione suddenly thought about what happened the other day and shivered when she thought of how close Draco came to hitting her.

Draco noticed her shivering and asked her if she was still cold.

"No… I-I just thought about the time… when you were about to hit me…" she couldn't finish her sentence, saying that she knew for sure that he wouldn't hit her before she felt him tense up. The muscles in his neck were so tensed up that she could almost see the veins. He suddenly pulled back so quickly that Hermione felt that her arms were going to be detached from their sockets.

"I don't hit women," he said, tone hard and cold. His eyes were back to being as cold as the slab of stone they were both sitting on now. 

"I-I didn't mean to…" Hermione started, knowing for sure that she had said something wrong to make Draco so angry at her or whatever she said.

"Just shut up and go back to your hut." Draco snapped and walked back to his hut. Just like that; Hermione felt as if history were repeating itself. She felt like someone had just poured a whole bucket of cold water on her.

"I will not cry." Hermione told herself repeatedly, as she struggled to get down from the high rock. _How did I ever get up here in the first place… when I can't even get down now?_ She thought dejectedly. Then she remembered that she didn't even get up there by herself. Draco had carried her up there. That thought was not comforting.

Finally, she got down, and sprained an ankle. Still, she managed to keep the burning feeling at the back of her eyes to herself. She kept her chin up and walked back to her own hut, trying to retrieve and maintain whatever pride she had left. She tried to sleep, by tossing and turning, but as soon as one tear escaped from her eye and rolled down her cheek without her notice, she began sobbing once again.

The next day, Hermione felt it difficult to even look Draco in the eyes. She had thought it over during the night. Why should she cry for this stupid, brainless person? It just wasn't worth it. She should just live her life the way she used to live it. 

She also thought about the mixed feelings she felt and was sure that Draco felt the same way. She figured that it was most probably because they were the only two people on the island, if you didn't include the dumb genie, who had hid in his bottle the whole time yesterday since morning. And since they were both of different sexes, it was only natural to have these kind of mixed feelings towards the other partner.

Hermione also felt something else; she couldn't walk properly that day. She remembered spraining her ankle yesterday night but she never thought that it would hurt so much the next day.

For most of the day, she just simply hobbled and when Draco tossed a casual glance at her as she was hopping on one foot. She simply refused to admit to him that she had sprained her ankle.

She didn't know she had such a strong character, or rather, stubborn character, as she hobbled around that day, collecting foods like breadfruits and fruits like bananas. The island seemed to have plenty of them.

She also ventured further into the sea in the late afternoon when she saw a big brown thing floating on the sea foams. It was low tide, so she decided that it was safe going out into the sea. She saw that the big brown thing she saw was actually a trunk. A big brown trunk. She pulled it in with all her might and didn't care if she got wet. The trunk was so heavy, she nearly collapsed with fatigue after she moved the trunk onto the shore, even with a bit of help from the swashes of the sea tides.

"Oof!" she said as she heaved the heavy trunk onto shore. "Finally…" she muttered. She observed the trunk carefully and found that it was locked. She wanted to scream in frustration.

It looked like a Yale lock; she tried picking it with her hair pins and tried every other way of getting the lock open, but it still wouldn't budge. The lock was so damn heavy too, so heavy that Hermione swore that most of the weight of the trunk she had endured came from the lock.

From a fair distance, Draco saw the stubborn headed woman finally give up and walk over to her hut to get the bag of necessities. She looked as if she was going for a bath and Draco swore that she took a bath for at least five times a day. She wasn't even dirty, for God's sake.

As soon as he saw that she had gone to the waterfall, he walked out to the trunk and observed the lock. He smirked as he found that the lock was almost similar to the locks on the trunks in Hogwarts. He knew exactly how to unlock it. One could see the smirk on his face even if he was standing from a hundred miles away. It was that big.

Draco walked away from the trunk, deciding not to open it yet. _Let the woman try,_ he thought to himself,_ she had enough guts and strength to bring it in; she should be able to open it._

That night, before they settled down for dinner, Hermione let the genie out. She didn't want just the two of them for dinner. 

She took out the corkscrew and looked into the bottle through the opening. "Are you coming out or what?" she said impatiently.

"As soon as you move that piece of _chocolate_," the genie replied, with equal impatience.

Hermione wondered what he was talking about and finally realized that he was referring to her eyeball. 

She smiled and moved back. A mist of purple and yellow smoke emitted from the opening and Sniffy came out of the bottle. 

"What is it that you want?" his voice had a bitter edge to it, probably because Hermione didn't let him out for a day or two already.

Hermione frowned and said, "I have a good mind to put you back into the bottle, Sniffy."

Sniffy sniffed. "Humph. See if I care. Just DON'T call me Sniffy anymore." 

Hermione shrugged. "Already did." Then she sat down by the campfire and asked if Sniffy needed to eat at all.

"No. I don't need to eat anything."

"I wish you would talk as much as you ate." Hermione grinned.

"Humph."

"Now… does Humphrey sound nicer than Sniffy?" 

Sniffy gave Hermione a good glare before saying, "Please put me back into the bottle and don't call me out unless you have a wish for me to grant." Sniffy sniffed.

"All right, all right. You don't have to be so unaccommodating. I was just looking for someone to talk to…" Hermione grumbled.

"Fine. We have talked. Please close the bottle tightly after I leave. Thank you."

The genie returned back into his bottle and Hermione closed it tight. And that also meant that dinner would only consist of the two of them once again.

Draco had gone to bathe again. In order not to have any more awkward moments between them, she took her share of bananas and breadfruit and sat down on a spot on the sand quite far away from the campfire. 

After a few minutes, Draco came back and was drying his hair with the GREEN towel when he saw that Hermione was sitting out there on the sand with her food. She had already started eating.

Draco sat down by the campfire and started eating as well. He knew what she would do if he had sat down beside her. She would suddenly jump out and run away. And to his utmost surprise, Hermione could run fast. That was one of the things he had learnt about her after living with her on a deserted and isolated island for a few days.

The silence was overbearing and Hermione was sure that Draco was already back from his bath, even though she did not turn to make sure if he was there. She just assumed and hoped she assumed right. Although she hated that guy, she didn't want anything to happen to that pigheaded ferret.

Draco knew he was at advantage as he could eat and watch her all the time, without her knowing it. She couldn't do the same, though. Draco also knew that that girl had too much pride to turn around and see if he was back from his bath. He learnt so when he saw today that she had sprained her ankle and hobbled everywhere.

She had finished her dinner and was about to get up from the sand and take another bath, she saw another amazing sight. 

On the eastern side of the water, every few seconds, there was a group of porpoises arcing one by one over the glassy sea, making white, foamy sea spray when they hit the water.

Draco remembered the fist time he'd ever seen a school of porpoises leap from the sea like that. These was something sobering about it; the realization that other things lived on the same earth, an awareness that humans weren't the only things trying to eke out a life. Some long-buried part of him had reacted in awe.

Watching them now, he relished it because he hadn't felt that way for so long. Too damn long a time.

He sat there, soaking up the freedom to do whatever the hell he wanted. He watched the porpoises, something that in the past few years he's forgotten existed.

With an overwhelming sense of bitterness, he wondered what else his father had stolen from him. In the distance he could hear sea auks crying from the cliffs. Their keening didn't sound like the call of birds but rather the cries of people that had been tortured under his father's hands.

He thought about what happened the first time he caught sight of porpoises. His mother had brought him to the beach and he had seen it, feeling the same awe he feels now.

Then his father had ruined it all by coming to the beach and dragging the both of them back home. If that was what home looked like. On the way home, he said nothing to Draco's mother, but kept yelling to Draco that he should stop seeing these sort of stuff, that these creatures, "beasts" he had called them, were useless things and the less Draco saw of them, the better.

Back home, his father gripped his mother's arm so hard that Draco swore he could see the bruises forming. Not only that, but his father had dragged Draco's mother down to the dungeons and Draco heard his mother's anguished cries as she got whipped by his father.

At that time, he was only seven.

Now, he was in seventh grade, old enough to know what went on in his father's bedroom at night when he passed by; old enough to realize that his mother had been tortured since he was born, if not longer; old enough to know that nothing lasted forever, not even marriage. And their marriage had been seen under the eyes of God. 

__

Turn it inside out so I can see

The part of you that's drifting over me

And when I wake you're never there

But when I sleep you're everywhere

You're everywhere

He had grown up to be a bitter person, a bitter son. He knew better than to involve himself into any relationship. In school, girls had thrown themselves to him, just because of his family wealth and his looks. Nothing more. They never knew what was underneath the façade, underneath everything. 

__

Just tell me how I got this far

Just tell me why you're here 

And who you are

'cause every time I look

You're never there

And every time I sleep

You're always there

Now, as he watched Hermione walk over to the waterfall for the fourth time of the day, he suddenly felt scared and vulnerable. He feared that this would be the only person, the only girl, that would unveil his mask, the mask he has been putting on successfully for years to come. He wouldn't let anyone do that, least of all, her. He just couldn't make himself convinced that she might be the only one that made him believe that he wasn't alone in this world. 

__

'cause you're everywhere to me

And when I close my eyes

It's you I see

You're everything I know

That makes me believe 

I'm not alone

I'm not alone

Yet what he didn't know was that Hermione had already crept up quietly and entered his heart without his notice.

__

I recognize the way you make me feel

It's hard to think that

You might not be real

I sense it now, the water's 

Getting deep

I try to wash the pain away from me

Just as Draco was thinking more about the past, he heard a scream. And it came from the waterfall. He ran like the wind and cursed himself for not being to run fast enough, fast enough to get to Hermione in seconds.

From a distance, he saw Hermione struggling for awhile in the water and picked up speed. His legs pumping, he reached Hermione, panting, as she reached the edge of the water and was clutching onto a rock with a death grip. Her face was whiter and grew whiter as she saw Draco near her.

She screamed and Draco tossed her the pink towel, and turned around as she put it on. In the water.

"Are you decent now?" he decided to bait her a little.

"Barely." Hermione panted. 

Draco turned around, though, and felt his smile disappear as quickly as it appeared on his face when he saw Hermione's look of fear and saw her struggling to make it to the pile of rocks.

Draco didn't care if she was dressed; he quickly rushed over to help her out. She didn't decline his offer to help, either. She was in too much pain to care much about her appearance. Once he got her onto land, she winced at the pain that shot through her body. It seemed to come from her ankle.

Luckily, she already had her towel wrapped around her. She had managed to wrap it around her body in the water. She didn't care if it was wet; she would just dry it during the night. She stole a quick glance at her clothes and to her utmost dismay she saw that her underclothes were visible; they were right above her other clothes. Although they were clean, she blushed furiously when she thought about Draco would react to seeing her underclothes laying like that on a piece of rock.

Draco raised his eyebrows as he saw Hermione blushing. That girl could blush anywhere, anytime, he thought amazingly.

He followed her gaze casually, and felt his own face flush as he saw her underclothes. Her bra and well, her, pants were right on top of every other clothing of hers.

He quickly turned his attention back to her ankle as he felt a blush creep up to his own cheeks.

He slowly rubbed the ankle back and forth. "Does it hurt?" he asked softly, wondering if his efforts to rub her sore ankle were too strong.

Hermione shook her head, amazed at how gentle he was with her ankle. She thought all guys used brute strength in everything.

After awhile, her ankle felt better and not so sore anymore. She thanked him quickly and rushed over to her clothes. By the time she had folded her clothes neatly and managing her blush at the same time, Draco had already left with his own blush, just that she didn't know it. She was too busy with her own clothes to notice his face.

__

'cause you're everywhere to me

And when I close my eyes 

It's you I see

You're everything I know

That makes me believe

I'm not alone

I'm not alone

'cause you're everywhere I see…

Do you see me…


	10. A New Day

****

Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in this chapter; they all belong to J K Rowling. Lucky her, huh? =) but I did use a song by Celine Dion towards the end of the chapter. The title of the song is "A New Day Has Come". I was thinking of whether to put that song down or another song by Celine Dion, titled "Right In Front Of You". then I finally decided on the first song, as there was a sentence that said, "All in the eyes of a boy". It touched me, I wonder why. =) 

****

A New Day

The next day, Hermione found herself lucky. She had woken up early and caught a beautiful sunset. 

She had also found a bed of oysters. Maybe it was her reward for dealing with such horrible incidents the previous days. 

Draco tossed a disgusted look at the thing Hermione was carrying. 

"WHAT is that disgusting thing you're holding?"

Hermione had a good mind to say, "You", but she didn't. She just told him that it was a bed of oysters.

"Oysters? They're NOT oysters." Draco said, eyes wide, looking as if he was going to puke any moment.

"And why not?" Hermione retorted.

"Because I've been to more authentic French MUGGLE restaurants than you will ever go to and I know exactly what oysters look like."

"Oh, really?" she asked doubtfully.

"Really." 

"All right, then, if you don't believe me, that's not really my problem." Hermione frowned at his arrogance.

She swallowed one of the oysters raw, just to prove her point. To her surprise, they taste as good as cooked oysters, if not better.

Seeing Draco's shocked expression, she popped another one into her mouth. She bit into it and yelled out loud as her teeth hit something hard. Draco bit his lips from laughing out loud as he saw her eyes widen in shock.

She fished one finger into her mouth and Draco watched as she took something out of her mouth. He cursed loudly when he saw what that thing was. 

It was a pearl, rose in color and the size as big as his thumb-nail.

Hermione's luck didn't end just there. She found a few more pearls, including a black one, while Draco had found none. And Hermione suspected that he had actually eaten more oysters than her.

"I simply cannot believe your luck." Draco muttered.

"I can." Hermione replied cheerfully.

Draco winced. "Of course you can, Granger."

Hermione's smile disappeared. "Why don't you ever call me by my name?" 

Draco shrugged. "Don't see the need to." 

Hermione gave him a good frown before he said again, "You don't call me by my name either, do you?" 

Hermione looked mildly surprised. She did call Draco by his name before, when she had asked him to trust himself. She decided that he had already forgotten about that incident already. She had to stop herself from snorting in indignation. What Hermione didn't know how much was that Draco did remember the first time she had called his name in place of other names like 'insufferable git' or 'ferret'. Draco liked it so much when she had called his name and that he was seriously fighting against the urge to ask her to call him by his name again.

Hermione broke his train of thoughts by taking in a deep breath and said his name. 

"Draco."

Draco tried to mask his surprise and happiness. And successfully, too. Hermione thought he was heartless.

"Well?" Hermione prompted.

"Well what, _Granger_?" Draco just couldn't bring himself to say her name; he knew for a fact that he would be calling her name over and over again if he started.

Hermione sighed and gave up. It was almost like talking to a bull that didn't charge… yet.

Draco couldn't find her late afternoon, not that he made it obvious that he was looking for her. It was just that Draco, for the first time in his life, felt a need to look for someone that mattered to him, other than his own mother.

He walked around the beach, pretending to be looking for more oyster beds. Suddenly, he got the shock of his life as Hermione popped out of the sea, flinging her wet hair back and laughing. 

Draco had trouble breathing. Hell, he couldn't breathe.

Spilling down her back was a thick wad of tangled chestnut brown hair, damp and curling and so damn female that even a wagon load of pearls couldn't pull his gaze away.

__

A new day

A new day

I was waiting for so long 

For a miracle to come

Everyone told me to be strong

Hold on and don't shed a tear

She turned around and grinned widely at Draco. Draco was still trying to calm his heartbeat when Hermione walked back shore, all wet, holding another bed of oysters.

__

Through the darkness

And good times

I knew I'd make it through

And the world thought I had it all

But I was waiting for you

They were eating oysters that evening and Hermione found another two pearls, both round and seemingly flawless. Draco gave a low whistle at her luck. Hermione smiled in self-satisfaction as her teeth hit something hard once again.

__

Hush, love.

I see a light in the sky

Oh, it's almost blinding me

I can't believe

I've been touched by an

Angel with love

Draco wanted to yell in frustration. Instead, he asked her, "Is that what you were doing the whole day?"

__

Let the rain come down and wash

Away my tears

Let it fill my soul and 

Drown my fears

Let it shatter the walls 

For a new sun

"Nay, not the whole day. Just the afternoon." She continued smiling at the array of different colored pearls lying peacefully in the sand in front of her.

She suddenly looked up at Draco and asked the most unexpected question.

"Can you swim?" 

__

A new day has come

Where it was dark now

There's light

Where there was pain

Now there's joy

Where there was weakness

I found my strength

All in the eyes of a boy

Draco changed into another set of clothes and met Hermione down at the beach. It was high tide and Hermione still hadn't changed into dry clothes. Her clothes hadn't dried off enough before the fire.

Draco approached her slowly; he took in deep breaths as he saw her. It was late evening and she seemed to be basking in the sunset.

__

Hush, love

I see a light in the sky

Oh, it's almost blinding me

I can't believe

I've been touched by an

Angel with love

The tide lapped at her calves and sprayed water up her ragged skirt. Draco cursed himself silently for not being able to take his eyes off her long smooth legs. They seemed to go on and stretch forever.

__

Let the rain come down 

And wash away my tears

Let it fill my soul and

Drown my fears

Let it shatter the walls

For a new sun

A new day has come

Hermione smiled as Draco stood beside her. "I'm not sure if we can see anything beneath this waters with this kind of light, but… well… let's just give it a try." Her chocolate brown eyes twinkled with delight.

__

Oh, a light

Hush, now

I see a light in your eyes

All in the eyes of a boy

Draco didn't expect it, but Hermione had grabbed his hand and ran into the waters.

Draco wasn't sure if he had died and gone to heaven as he ventured deep into the blue-green waters with Hermione, their hands held and fingers entwined.

He hadn't dared to open his eyes underwater until Hermione prompted him in the ribs with her elbow. 

He opened them slowly and for the first few seconds, he felt as though his eyes were being washed out with the sea water. Later on, he felt so much at ease that he and Hermione just went deeper into the water and saw amazing things like coral reefs, fishes, small prawns, and most of all, oyster beds. It was a miracle that they could actually see all these things at that time. Draco was about to grab one of the oyster beds when Hermione tugged at his hand and motioned with one finger of hers to go up for air. 

They went up and both gasped for air. Draco started to pull Hermione back in to see everything once again when Hermione stopped him. 

She smiled. "We're going to drown soon if we keep up by the capacity of your lungs. Hold on for awhile." She then laughed at his enthusiasm.

Draco smiled a genuine and truly sincere smile this time. No snide looks, no sniggers, and for this rare moment, Draco felt like he didn't have the need to hide anything from anyone, least of all Hermione.

Hermione was captivated by the sight of Draco all wet. His wet hair seemed to reflect the early moonlight and it gleamed with every sign of the moon beams, making his hair look glossier and more silvery. 

Hermione saw in his eyes a childishness she had never ever seen in her entire life. She always thought that Draco was as cold as a fish and nothing much to do with his own childhood. She never imagined that one day, this day, she would be able to discover the real Draco Malfoy.

She had unveiled his mask.

"Come on. We can't see much anymore, I think." Hermione tugged at Draco's wet sleeves.

Draco looked down at the waters and realized that she was probably right. He looked so sad that Hermione promised him that they would go again tomorrow, early in the morning, where they could see as many things and get as many oyster beds as they want.

They went up to shore and reaching shallow waters when Hermione suddenly realized that the both of them were still holding hands. She tried to wriggle her hand free, but Draco's grip was too tight. 

Then his eyes were fixated on her face all of a sudden. Hermione's knees went weak and she felt as if they had buckled.

They had; and she slipped. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the fall. But the fall never came. Draco had steadied her by holding the small of her back. 

She knew what Draco had done and what he was about to do, but she still didn't open her eyes; she didn't want to know if she was right.

She was. Draco kissed her. But this time, his kiss had no hardness or demand to it. It contained all the tenderness and softness any girl could wish for. 

She kissed back with a fierce passion she never knew she had. This kiss lasted longer than she expected and it also felt better than the last one. This kiss felt… right.

That night, after the kiss, Hermione was very careful not to say anything wrong; she didn't want this perfect moment to end.

She was in Draco's arms and the both of them were sitting in the wet sand. She sat in between his stretched out legs and she relaxed against his hard chest.

Draco felt contented as he breathed in the scent of Hermione's hair. He felt no restrains; there were no intruders or outsiders tonight, not even the stupid genie. 

They weren't sure who started talking first, but they were then engaged in many different conversations that night. He even managed to say her name and he thought her eyes had glistened with tears when he said it, though he wasn't all that sure.

"You know, I'm glad that I'm a wizard." 

"Why?" 

"Because I never could run worth a damn, so I can resort to flying." Hermione laughed at complete ease.

"I like the spells, especially those which can zip mouths up forever." Hermione's eyes twinkled mischievously.

Draco laughed and said, "If you had used that spell on me… then I wouldn't be able to do this…" then he bent down to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, you wouldn't be able to do that." She grinned like a Cheshire cat.

They sat like that for hours, but it felt like minutes. Hermione fell asleep in Draco's arms and missed the sunrise, the main reason why she has always been up so early in the morning.

But Draco watched as the sun rise. He kept watching until the sunlight seemed too bright for him to watch anymore.

He carried her to her hut and watched as she breathed slowly and with ease, something he hadn't been able to do for a long, long time. He had a feeling that now, he could finally breathe like that.

He planted a tender kiss on her cheek and went back to his own hut to get some rest. That night, he willingly unveiled his mask, his façade, and he didn't care. All because of Hermione. Just the thought of her name made him smile. He thought of the irony between the two of them. In school, they were always at loggerheads, to put it in mild terms. The days where they fought were over, and for once, Draco was relieved to say so. Today was a new day, leaving Draco yearning for a newer start, a better future.

__

I can't believe

I've been touched by an

Angel with love

I can't believe

I've been touched by an

Angel with love

Hush, now

A new day

Hush, now

A new day


	11. Losing You

Draco had the most wonderful dream and horrible nightmare he had ever had in his life, all at the same time. First of all, he dreamt that he was in this place where there were the colors of rainbow everywhere, which seemed to blend together in a swirl. He had looked around and saw that there were many logbooks and golden notes pasted on the white walls. He flipped one logbook open. It had the title "Friends" embedded in the cover. He opened it and immediately saw Crabbe and Goyle ,who seemed to be spitting at each other. He rolled his eyes at their immaturity, only to realize that the picture he was staring at wasn't moving. It was like the old Muggle photographs he used to see, which didn't move at all. He raised his eyebrows as he wondered once more about the location he was at. Yet again, he didn't have a clue about what was going on. 

After flipping through the first few pages, he surprised himself as the rest of the many pages were blank. What did that mean? Were all of the logbooks in the windowless room his future or his past? Or were they true or of lies? Draco quickly shut the book, unwilling to dwell on the fact that he hadn't had that many friends to walk through the rest of his life with him. 

He went on to the next logbook, which marked "Hatred". Hatred? Now what did that mean? Draco only realized what the book was about just as he saw the first page. Harry Potter was there, scowling at him. Draco would have smiled or smirked if the seriousness of the issue he was facing here wasn't lurking beneath the murky waters of misunderstanding. 

Draco went through the rest of the logbooks tirelessly, amazed at what those books showed, amazed at the fact that his life had been that way since he was born as a wailing baby. There was only one logbook left. And Draco wouldn't have opened it if he knew that that book was the only dark spot of this somewhat beautiful and mysterious haven. 

"Family" was what was embedded in the cover. And strangely enough, that logbook was the only logbook that had animation in it. He first saw his uncle, aunts, and cousins. There were some smiles and there were some anger mixed in those pictures. Lastly, he came to this picture where he saw his father raise a cruel hand to strike his mother. Draco's mind willed himself to just close the book, but some other part of his body made him look on as his father strike his mother again and again. There were no sound coming from either of them. It was like watching a silent abuse going on, but there was nothing to stop it. Draco finally shut the book and leaned against one of the walls, crying and burying his head in his hands to soften his sobs.

He didn't know that his sliding down the wall activated one of the golden cards on the wall. Immediately, his father's voice boomed through the whole room, and was amplified many times over. His father spoke of vulgarities and of sadistic methods to make his mother and him suffer if Draco were not to follow his footsteps. 

Draco was sobbing harder and starting pounding on the walls. "No! No!" he kept shouting. Finally, the voice stopped, only to be replaced by another voice. The difference was that this voice spoke softly, but it was of begging. Begging by his mother to ask his father to stop beating her, that she had had enough of him and his fists.

It was near breaking point for Draco. He finally realized that every card he activated, there would be some voice, some voice he would either want to hear or hated hearing. Being unable to take it anymore, he pressed every other button, and finally stopped when he heard the voice of Hermione. She was saying, "Hush, hush," as if soothing Draco to stop crying and go to sleep. 

Draco finally woke up when he felt pressure on his back in both his dreams and reality. He turned around as soon as his sub-conscious self felt the gentle caresses that were being made on his back. 

Hermione was lying down beside him and crying, while she started stroking his back gently. When Draco saw her, he quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and silently hoped that Hermione would think that the tears remaining were just sweats. He didn't want Hermione to think that he was a weakling.

"Hey," he said softly, in a tone he had hoped that was gentle and soothing and not shaky, while he silently held Hermione's hands in his own.

Hermione didn't say anything; she simply couldn't bring herself to. She couldn't seem to stop the tears that seemed to flow from an infinite source too. Draco let go of her hands and just managed to catch one of her tears as it fell from behind her lashes and before it splashed onto her face like a waterfall. This gentle gesture was all it took in Hermione to hug Draco tightly and not let go. Draco raked his fingers of one hand through her brown hair and slowly untangling whatever tangle she got. The other hand he had used for caressing her back in slow, smooth strokes. 

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, the image of his dream now quite far behind at the back of his mind. Now, all he could think of was Hermione and her quieting sobs.

Her sobs subsiding, Hermione started hiccuping against Draco's masculine chest. She also tried to find her voice, which seemed to be lost somewhere.

  
"Sorry," she apologized for the fool she was, crying in the early morning. 

  
Draco pulled her away gently and kissed her forehead with equal gentleness. "It's okay," he whispered against her ear.

Hermione nodded, then her heart wrenched again as she thought of the scars on Draco's back.

"Draco, tell me, please, who did this to you?" Hermione pleaded, hoping that Draco wouldn't just walk off again.

  
Draco didn't have to think to know that Hermione was referring to the scars. No wonder she was feeling them in the morning. Draco felt like walking off and running away from that question, but he knew that that would hurt Hermione badly, so instead of walking away, he answered her question with another question.

"Tell me, then. Are you ashamed of them?" he asked softly, afraid to know Hermione's answer.

"No!" Hermione yelled her denial to his statement. "I want to know who hurt you like this, so I can hate him."

Her loyalty stunned him. It touched the most inner core in him. 

Cupping her heart-shaped face in his hands, Draco kissed her, as if she meant the whole world to him. Right now, that was exactly what she meant to him. The whole wide world, some place where Draco won't have to hide from anymore, some place where there would finally be someone to walk through the turbulent roads with him.

They stayed that way, in each other's arms until late that morning, when they could no longer hear the birds chirping, see the bluebells swaying back and forth in the wind and feel the sun's gentle reassurance. When they still heard the call of seagulls, the rush of tides and felt the sun's fierce wrath. 

Draco decided to rest in that day, what with all the fatigue from last night's dream. But he had taken a bath first. 

Hermione had kissed his right cheek as she left his hut and saw him sleeping away peacefully, like a child. He just lacked the smile on his face.

The pain in her heart was rather hurting, though Hermione had to admit, there was also relief from today morning's questions and answers. At least Draco didn't walk away like he sometimes did. At least Draco didn't get angry or mad.

The pain came from when Hermione heard Draco shouting out "No! No!" in his sleep and crying, even when he was in his sub-conscious mind. It must have been a terrible nightmare. Hermione was at a loss when she heard his cries and saw his tears; only one thought came to her mind. She soothed him by stroking his back, only to see the once painful and hurtful scars inflicted on it.

She wasn't ashamed of it, she would never be. Instead, she was proud of it, for Draco had stood unwavering to these blows. She was sad for it, for Draco didn't have anyone to see through the painful experiences with him, no one to embrace him and his hurts. No one to retrace his lost faith and put it back in place.

Hermione took breadfruit to Draco's hut and left it beside him, so that he could eat when he woke up. Then, she turned her ankle a few more times, to test if it was all right to move with ease. It proved to be so. So Hermione dragged the heavy trunk she had found a few days before to a more deserted place, to see if she could open it. 

She took every hairpin of hers and dented almost everyone of it. That lock was hard, and Hermione was sort of frustrated that she didn't have her wand to say the simple spell, "Alohomora". She could feel that something in the trunk was pulling her towards it. As if there was something in it that was beckoning to her, saying that it was important to whatever she valued most now. Yet, she couldn't figure out what that was.

Hermione didn't realize that she had tried almost the whole of half of that day. She didn't realize that Draco was looking for her everywhere at the other side of the beach; neither did she find out that Draco was panicking as every minute passed by without her safely in his arms. And of course, she wouldn't have known that Draco was grabbing tufts of his hair in despair and trying hard not to let his distraught emotions show blatantly. 

Hermione wanted to bring the trunk back to its original place, but decided then that she hadn't had much energy left to drag it all the way back. So she just left it there and started walking back to the beach. She was almost sure that Draco would be awake by now.

When she got there, she saw Draco sitting down with the inside of his knees perpendicular to the sands under him and his head buried in his arms which were also situated at his knee-caps. She tiptoed to him and didn't make a sound until she leaned in and whispered in his ears, "Boo." 

The reaction she got from Draco was shocking, and that was to be an understatement, to be specific. Draco had leapt up and would have hit Hermione in her face if she didn't step back fast enough. She didn't have time to smile at his reaction when Draco pulled her towards him to embrace her tightly. It was only when Hermione remarked amusingly that she couldn't really breathe with his tight hold on her that Draco loosened his grip on her. 

"God, you scared the shit out of me," he whispered, his voice cracking. 

"I did?" Hermione was truly amazed at that statement. After all, it wasn't even a whole day that she was gone, it was only half a day.

Instead of nodding or saying 'yes', Draco simply tightened his hold a bit more and told her in a sort of commanding voice not to leave his sight for another minute from that second on. Just to prove his point.

Hermione decided to bait him a bit more before giving in and promising him not to leave within one inch from him.

"Even when I'm bathing?" she teased, but his answer stopped her teasing and surprised her all the same.

"Yes." 

Hermione's jaws dropped wide open, the inside of her mouth clear for all to see. Hermione blew a few strands of Draco's hair that had gotten into her mouth when she closed it again, then she pulled herself away much to Draco's reluctance.

"Draco, you can't watch me as I bathe," she shook her head at the audacity and indecency of it.

  
He sighed and took in ragged breaths. His breathing hadn't resumed to normal yet. "I know, and I won't."

Before Hermione could sigh with relief, Draco continued softly and uncertainly. 

"But… I don't want to lose you. Not ever again."

Hermione's hand flew to her chest, over where her heart was situated. It was, now, beating faster in response to the statement that had affected her. Greatly. She hugged Draco with as much strength she could muster in her. 

"I don't want to lose you too-", Hermione replied in a half-whisper. "- I love you too much." 

It was late evening by now, and Draco was still affected by the earlier encounter when he thought he had lost Hermione. The statement that made an impact on him was that remark about Hermione loving him too much to lose him. He didn't want to lose her, that was for sure, but Draco wasn't sure what he felt for her right now. Was it love? Or was it just an infatuation? Worst of all, when he had confirmed all these suspected emotions, what will happen from there? 

At that time, he couldn't find the answer to Hermione's reply. It wasn't a question, but he knew that Hermione wanted to hear the same words repeated, only to her. Draco wasn't sure whether he could do it. Since he met Hermione on this isolated island, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. He found out that there was much to value about in life and Hermione would be one of them. At that time, he had simply smiled at her and walked back to his hut before he could catch a glimpse of what he was sure was hurt and disappointment. And if he saw the looks from Hermione's eyes, he didn't want to see them reflected in his.

He sat on the sand and was sure that Hermione was asleep by now. He was also sure that she had cried herself to sleep. He had heard the sobs and had tried his best to ignore them. But he just couldn't. Nor could he go over to soothe her sobs, as much as he wanted to. He knew that that would hurt her more than he already had.

So he just sat in the sand. He thought, and thought. Thinking, Hermione's favorite sport. And ironically, he was doing the exact same thing. He thought about his past, his present and his future. He didn't see his past with Hermione, he saw the present with her, but couldn't see it without her. It had to have her, and for that Draco would be grateful for. But he had said nothing instead, he had just walked off.

What the hell was wrong with him, he thought. He knew what he was afraid of, but he was even more scared to face it. For years to come, he wanted to face it. And if he had, he had always done it alone, without any help from anyone but his mother. But his mother had gotten a punishment that was much worse than whatever he got. He hated his father, hated the same blood that flowed inside his veins, hated the way his life was going and was probably going to go, and most of all, he hated himself for the person he was. He wanted to be loving and caring, giving Hermione all that she needed and wanted, for he knew that she deserved it. She most certainly did. 

After all these incoherent thoughts, he still found that he couldn't bring himself to say the three words. He wasn't afraid of Hermione's reaction, he was afraid of his father and what he would do to her. She was Muggle-born, and Draco knew it perfectly well. He didn't care, he never did. It was his father that had hated them. 

His father, his father, his father. All his thoughts had led to his father, and he still didn't know what to do about the issue.

Tomorrow. It would come sooner or later. Draco couldn't stop it, just like he couldn't stop the tides from flowing, the sun from rising and setting, the flowers from blooming and the snow from falling in winter. It will come. And Draco would have to face it, no matter how he did it.


	12. Loving You

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Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in the following chapter. Thank you.

****

In the previous chapter…

It was late evening by now, and Draco was still affected by the earlier encounter when he thought he had lost Hermione. The statement that made an impact on him was that remark about Hermione loving him too much to lose him. He didn't want to lose her, that was for sure, but Draco wasn't sure what he felt for her right now. Was it love? Or was it just an infatuation? Worst of all, when he had confirmed all these suspected emotions, what will happen from there? 

At that time, he couldn't find the answer to Hermione's reply. It wasn't a question, but he knew that Hermione wanted to hear the same words repeated, only to her. Draco wasn't sure whether he could do it. Since he met Hermione on this isolated island, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. He found out that there was much to value about in life and Hermione would be one of them. At that time, he had simply smiled at her and walked back to his hut before he could catch a glimpse of what he was sure was hurt and disappointment. And if he saw the looks from Hermione's eyes, he didn't want to see them reflected in his.

He sat on the sand and was sure that Hermione was asleep by now. He was also sure that she had cried herself to sleep. He had heard the sobs and had tried his best to ignore them. But he just couldn't. Nor could he go over to soothe her sobs, as much as he wanted to. He knew that that would hurt her more than he already had.

So he just sat in the sand. He thought, and thought. Thinking, Hermione's favorite sport. And ironically, he was doing the exact same thing. He thought about his past, his present and his future. He didn't see his past with Hermione, he saw the present with her, but couldn't see it without her. It had to have her, and for that Draco would be grateful for. But he had said nothing instead, he had just walked off.

What the hell was wrong with him, he thought. He knew what he was afraid of, but he was even more scared to face it. For years to come, he wanted to face it. And if he had, he had always done it alone, without any help from anyone but his mother. But his mother had gotten a punishment that was much worse than whatever he got. He hated his father, hated the same blood that flowed inside his veins, hated the way his life was going and was probably going to go, and most of all, he hated himself for the person he was. He wanted to be loving and caring, giving Hermione all that she needed and wanted, for he knew that she deserved it. She most certainly did. 

After all these incoherent thoughts, he still found that he couldn't bring himself to say the three words. He wasn't afraid of Hermione's reaction, he was afraid of his father and what he would do to her. She was Muggle-born, and Draco knew it perfectly well. He didn't care, he never did. It was his father that had hated them. 

His father, his father, his father. All his thoughts had led to his father, and he still didn't know what to do about the issue.

Tomorrow. It would come sooner or later. Draco couldn't stop it, just like he couldn't stop the tides from flowing, the sun from rising and setting, the flowers from blooming and the snow from falling in winter. It will come. And Draco would have to face it, no matter how he did it.

****

Loving You

Draco tried avoiding Hermione's questions instead of facing them. He was too afraid to hear the lies that might be coming from his mouth, and was fearful of the reaction or feelings he would thus stir in Hermione. 

He told Hermione he was going for a bath, but he spent a hell lot of time at the waterfall, even though he had lathered and rinsed himself numerous times. When he finally came out of his temporary hiding place, Draco put on his clothes and instead of going back to the beach, he wandered off to the other side of the island. As he walked, he thought about the problems he was facing again and again. And again and again, he just didn't seem to find any answers to them. Draco thought that his hair was going to come off in tufts if he continued to tug at them whenever he couldn't solve something.

He didn't know how far he had walked further inland when he saw something strange sitting there by itself. It was a trunk. In fact, as Draco inspected it further, he realized that it was _the_ trunk, the one which Hermione had pulled in from the tides the other day. The other day… Draco sighed. It seemed like such a long time ago where Hermione was in his arms. Even though it was only for a day.

Bending down, he could see many scratches inflicted on the Yale lock itself. He fingered them, and would have smiled at the efforts put in if the efforts weren't done by Hermione herself. He sighed once more, and proceeded to unlock the lock. It was simple enough. Draco wondered why Hermione didn't know how to do it. Then he remembered that his father had been the one who taught him how to open locks like these. He said that it would be for further use, in case of inconveniences. Draco snorted. How could his pure and innocent Hermione know such underhand means to open locks? 

Wait a minute. _His_ Hermione? NOW what did that mean? Draco clenched his fists in damning frustration and he felt like shouting out loud. 

He opened the lock easily and peered inside, expecting to see nothing. Or even if there _was_ something, it would be some lost treasure that wouldn't be useful anymore in his era. His left eyebrow raised in disbelief as he saw what was truly inside the trunk. 

It was definitely from their era. But it was so not appropriate.

It was a monkey suit and a ball gown. 

He pulled the trunk back to the beach without much struggle. After all, he was much stronger than Hermione. He saw Hermione look quizzically at what he was doing, but dropped it as a look of pain and anguish crossed her face. Maybe she didn't look close or long enough, for she would have seen the same look flash across Draco's face, too. 

The whole day, Draco didn't feel like eating. He didn't feel like thinking either. As a matter of fact, he didn't seem to want to do anything at all. Everything else seemed too strenuous right now. 

For the entire day, from the moment the sun rose out and stretched its fiery and warm fingers through earth until the minute when the sun itself set from a whole day's hard work, Draco had managed to evade Hermione. Not that Hermione was initiating any talk in any way. 

So he just shoved the gown into her hands and said simply, "For you."

She was just too hurt to speak. Every time she opened her mouth to talk to Draco, she felt this strange, yet familiar lump rise up in her throat. That lump alone, Hermione thought, was harder than stone; thicker than blood and viler than bile. (A/N: hey… vile… bile… it rhymes pretty nicely, huh?)

Some lump that she found extremely hard to swallow.

That night, however, Hermione finally forced that detestable lump down her throat and managed to make it stay there as she spoke her first sentence in that whole day. 

Draco watched warily as Hermione moved slowly towards him and whispered her greeting in soft, feathery words. 

"Hey."

Draco couldn't trust his voice to speak normally, so he just gave a small nod to acknowledge that greeting.

"Would you wear that monkey suit?" 

Draco felt his jaw drop open. What? Her first sentence to him and that was it? No "I've missed you" or anything? But then again, Draco had never told her that kind of stuff.

"No," Draco all but shouted his denial.

  
Hermione cringed at the blasphemy he muttered under his breath, and for a moment, she thought that that particular lump was going to arise again. "It's the last thing I'm asking you to do for me. Just the last one."

Maybe it was the sadness in her voice that made Draco soften his tone. Maybe it was her face that was full of hope and faith that made him wonder. Maybe it was her that made him say yes.

"Oh, all right. But just this once." But Hermione was somewhat satisfied at that answer. She just couldn't manage the issue of bubbling happiness right now.  


Hermione never thought that this day would come, where Draco and her would wear formal gowns and suits together. Just the two of them. 

She always thought that a man would look more handsome in a white tie and tails than anything. 

Draco looked better that that, so much better, that words like 'ravishing' or 'stunning' wasn't enough to express the rugged good looks he created. He was tall, and the black coat made him look even taller, leaner. The white shirt against his now tanned skin gave it a more rugged and earthy appeal. The white tie was slung around the shirt collar and the shirt was undone with buttonholes on both pockets. There were no studs. But even if there were some of them, it wouldn't diminish the good looks Draco had.

It was an odd mix. The fine precise quality of dress clothes and the hard ruggedness of the man himself. Together, they made a rather formidable presence. 

He crossed the beach and just stood in front of her. She looked absolutely stunning in that silky rose-colored fabric. It provided a modest neckline which didn't show too much, but just enough to make Draco stare, and the dress promptly ended at Hermione's slender ankles. The sleeves were up to her elbows, and the waistline of the dress made Hermione's waist look smaller than usual. Hermione wore no shoes and right now, her toes were gently probing into wet sand. 

"Thank you," she whispered, giving Draco a small, sad but nonetheless misty smile, that made Draco a little crazy for her. All right, maybe not just a little, but right now, a little was all that Draco was willing to admit. 

"For what?" 

Hermione touched his chest and that simple action made him feel like he was going over the moon. 

"For wearing the suit," Hermione replied simply.

Instead of replying to that remark, Draco steered away from the original topic and started a new one. 

"You look beautiful in that dress," he thought aloud and didn't realize that until Hermione looked up at him smiled the same smile she had given him previously before. 

"I do?" 

"Yes, you do." 

Then the both of them didn't know what else to say anymore. Hermione thought she would break down sooner or later if she had to just stand in front of him and not say anything rational. Hell, she couldn't even think rationally now.

She was about to go back to her own hut and end the whole night just like that when Draco tugged at one of her sleeves gently and pulled her back.

"Dance with me," Draco whispered. That wasn't what he wanted to say! He just wanted to say he was sorry. Why did he have to go and ask her to dance with him? Damn, but he was making the matter more complicated than he would ever know it. But now, he couldn't take whatever he said back. 

Hermione looked up at him with signs of tears at the back of her eyes when she said, "There's no music."

She's right, Draco thought, and I was stupid not to think of that. But once again, his actions contradicted his thoughts by pulling Hermione closer to him and holding by her waist, implying that it was all right without any music turned on. They could still dance.

  
Slowly and tentatively, they began to dance. There was no music at all. None, except for the swish-swash of the waves coming onto shore and going back into the sea, the quiet rustling of the dry leaves that had fulfilled their duty and had at last fluttered down to the ground for another obligation nature had planned for them to do. But to the both of them, that was enough, and they were contented with just the other in their arms.

  
For what seemed like such a short time, the both of them stopped their feet movements almost symmetrically and at the same time. Hermione looked up; Draco looked down. Then Hermione took one step closer and placed a hand on her chest. Draco hesitated for a few seconds before placing his over hers. He raised his other hand and touched her lips with one finger. Neither of them said a thing. They didn't need to. 

He slid his hand along her jaw line and they both smiled at the same time. 

Draco watched her smile and almost laughed out loud at himself for he knew of the power she had created in him with that smile. Part of him was also glad that she herself didn't understand that kind of power she had with that one smile of hers.

But after a moment, Draco's gaze caught hers. There was a long tense pause while they stared at each other. Her smile faded.

He knew. She knew.

Nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that the lagoon shone a lustery black in the night. It didn't matter that a breath of night wind made the palm fronds whisper to each other. Nothing mattered then but what they felt for each other – something that was no word for. Emotion so strong it had no name.

Draco took her tiny hand in his and they turned and walked in silence along the sand where the moonlight turned their steps silver. The waves were breaking with a bolder sound, a boom, a rush, and foamy whoosh. And as those waves broke, thousands of red colored sea creatures glimmered in the subtle light, glowed as if there were fire in the waves.

Draco held her soft hand as they walked, and he never let go. He didn't dare to, he was afraid that he might never get to hold it once he let go. There was nothing around them but the wind and the sea and a wealth of emotion and awareness of each other. 

His senses were keen. With each breath of the tirades, her scent came alive. It was suddenly all around him, that female smell that made him damn glad that he was a man. 

He could sense it above the brine of the sea, above the earthy smell of the wet sand and the shore. He was only aware of her. Just her.

Her touch. Her profile. Her walk. The way the ball gown rustled against the side of his leg.

  
And even God in all names had no doubt that Hermione was only aware of him. Just him. 

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and whispered sadly to Draco. 

"Remember what you said about not being able to run worth a damn?" Draco nodded and Hermione continued with equal sadness in her voice.   
  
"Well you're wrong, Draco. You run away from your problems better than anyone I have ever known."

With that, she wriggled her hand free and started walking towards her own hut. 

Draco sighed and felt the tears burning at the back of his eyes. He never cried. Not even when his father had beaten him to a pathetic pulp. Not even then had he shed a tear. Now, he just felt like crying out every damned strained emotion he felt inside of him.

But those tears proved to be useful, they made him think clearer, somehow. Draco thought about the days he and Hermione had since the first day they had met on this deserted island. Their feelings were as isolated as the island was, unaware of each other. Draco realized then that for most of the time, Hermione had been contributing, and he had always been the one pushing himself and her away.

For every single day since he met her and was aware of what he felt for her, he thought of different reasons that he would somehow recite to himself every morning, just to make himself feel the way he wanted to.

For the first day, he thought it was just the need to have someone to accompany him through the boring days on the island. For that day, that reason seemed sufficient enough.

For the second day, he thought that it was just that Hermione was pretty enough to attract his attention. But that reason had died out when he realized that Hermione didn't even know that she was that pretty.

For the third day, he thought it was lust. Yes, at that time, lust seemed to be a perfect word to describe his feelings towards her. That he was being plain lustful every time he looked at her.

And it went on, for the rest of the days. The different reasons he had ranted on and on, just to convince himself more than anyone else in the world.

But today, right now, as he watched as Hermione made her way slowly towards her hut, what he saw wasn't the gentle swaying of her hips nor her long legs that seemed to go on forever. It was the image of her smile that he had seen. The smile she had given him when he had compromised and wore the suit, just for her.

Just then, he made his decision. And damn it if it wasn't the most important decision in his life. He knew he was being impulsive, but hell, he didn't care anymore.

He ran towards her hut and saw her trembling in the dark. Draco wondered if it was due to the cool breezes or due to the fact that she might be crying.

She turned around as soon as she sensed his presence and didn't even bother to wipe her tears when she saw him. What was the point, she thought. It was practically pointless.

Draco stopped and smiled down at her, then pulled her to him. He threaded his fingers through hers and held her hands up as he slid his other arm around her lower back. For a moment, Hermione had stiffened to his response. But his touch was suddenly so familiar that Hermione's body didn't comply with her mind's instructions and it relaxed comfortably against his. 

They sensed when to look at each other, and both did at the same moment. Whether it was in their eyes or in their minds, they knew. Almost as if at that moment in time, they were one.

Draco looked over her head and stared out at the sea for a moment that he thought he needed. It was a little confusing, all this… stuff in his gut that he'd never experienced. It wasn't easy for him to accept either.

But then he looked down at her, looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes, and his doubts washed away.

"This time…" he whispered so softly that Hermione had to lean forward to hear him totally. "I'm not running away."

Then he touched her cheek, and let his hand drift to her neck. Her pulse pounded like the surf. He leaned down and kissed her gently in a way he'd never kissed a girl before. He wasn't taking anything. Just touching her mouth to his. He pulled back and watched her.

Her breathing was husky and abrupt, like his. In her eyes, he saw the same raw emotion that was eating at him. A need that was something physical. 

It was hard to tell who made the first move. He reached out for her and she for him. He lowered his head. Then she was in his arms, her body, that soft, female body that was against his. 

He kissed her again. Kissed her as he'd never kissed a girl. Kissed her as if she mattered. Because she did. 

A/N: this is it. the end of the end. =) I finished the story! Hooray ~ So how was the ending? The last chapter? Good? Or really, did it suck to the core? I hope not. =) But I think the ending was pretty sweet, if u ask me. I really hope that it was good enough for u guys ~ Please, read and review ~ Thank you all so much, for following the story until this very last chapter! Maybe I'll write a serial for this. I don't know. It all depends on the outcome of the reviews, I guess. =) So… review… review… and review! =) 

  


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